Gene Test with consequences
by zuzuba
Summary: After war, Harry and Hermione do a gentest in diagon alley- with shocking consequences for both of them...
1. At the Burrow

The war was over. The war was finally over. It was like nothing had ever happened. News spread rapidly over the country, about the death of Voldemort, the escape of the remaining deatheaters or them brought to Azkaban. For once, it was like peace for Harry, remaining peace, knowing his scar would never burn again, there would be no sleepless nights, torn-out dreams or looking for Horcruxes. Never ever looking for Horcruxes. He smiled ironically. The latter had actually been fun, if you put aside the continious fear to get discovered, being held prison at Malfoy Manor , escaping from Gringotts on a dragons back and nearly being killed by Nagini, Voldemorts snake, when he and Hermione had gone to Godrics Hollow, trying to find out more about the mysterious Bathilda Bagshot. Voldemort was finally dead. Everything was over. "What are you thinking about, mate?" Harry was torn out of his thoughts by the voice of his best friend, Ron Weasley. He looked up to see the red-haired, freckled eighteen year old grinning at him from his armchair. "Just been thinking." Harry answered, grinning back and feeling a wave of happiness rushing through his body. There was it, the peaceful day he had always wanted to spend with Ron and Hermione, his best friends he had known since his very first year at Hogwarts. And of course with Ginny, his girlfriend. She was sitting next to Harry, burried over a book, concentrating hard. The title, as Harry knew, was "Professional Potions, 7" by Arsenius Bunsen. She looked up from the book with a heavy sigh and shut in with banging that made Harry jump. "I`ll never learn this!" she complained, when Harry had restrained himself, and went on staring at it miserably, "I don`t know how I will get through grade 7, seeing as we haven`t learnt_ anything _last year- well, except never ask Alecto Carrow her blood status or she _might_ get angry." she added. Harry and Ron laughed, but it hit Harry like a dark shadow, it was like being pulled into old times again. Amycus and Alecto Carrow, deatheaters torturing the students, teaching at Hogwarts. He blamed himself for his foolishness, why had he let Ginny alone at school, hadn`t even thought about what could happen to her, had only thought about his mission, locating and destroying the Horcruxes together with Ron and Hermione. Who could have helped, maybe even protected Ginny at that time? "Harry?" Ginny asked. He swerved, then noticing it was her. "Yeah?" "Are you allright?" She looked worried, her red hair falling prettily over her back, her brown eyes stern, searching his face for any sign of something wrong. "Sure." he assured her, "It was just... you know... I never thought about what might happen to you, I just went off looking for these Horcruxes" But she talked across him, talking at the top of her voice: "And here Harry Potter goes again, blaming himself for whatever happened to the people around him even though none of it is or ever was his fault, not noticing we made our own decisions..." "Ha ha ha." Harry said dryly.

Ginny rolled her eyes and then very, very slowly turned towards Harry. She took a deep breath: "Harry, I beg you, I am seventeen, I can look after myself." "At that time you were sixteen." Harry said angrily. He hated it when no one seemed to take him serious, putting him off as a little boy who tried to show he was grown-up, too. Sirius, Ron and Hermione hadn`t always, no-one had believed him when he had talked about his wand acting on its own accord, actually the only one Harry knew ever to take him serious was Dumbledore and no one else.

But Dumbledore was gone, gone like many others, like Sirius, Fred, Cedric, his parents, all died in a war people didn`t know was ever going to end. A stinging in his eyes and a lurching, empty feeling in his stomach reminded him of all these deaths and that he was never going to see these people again. He blinked rapidly and heard Ginnys voice, bringing him back into the momentanous. " Oh, I just hope Slughorn teaches us this year, otherwise I am done with potions. Maybe I`ll even drop school and get a job, I don`t care what mum says." "GINNY!" Harry and Ron looked at each other, with a tilt of amusement. Hermione Granger had looked up from the books she was reading, her eyes wide open in shock, her bushy hair electrized and was now staring at Ginny. "You`re kidding! There is nothing more important than a good education, without one, you will not be able to find a job _at all_. And good reports are the most important thing in later " "We know, Hermione." Ron cut across her, and facing Harry and Ginny, rolled his eyes. Hermione had been the one who had persuaded each one of them of finishing their last year at Hogwarts together. The arguments she had brought no one had been able to put off. She had practiacally talked them into it, all of them suddendly realizing they had agreed but not knowing when. Hermione could persuade you for anything she wanted to. Hermione sat back down, glared at Ginny, and started stroking crookshanks, her orange cat. Crookshanks purred, closing his yellow eyes which were mostly fixed on anything suspicious. "But I am glad." Ginny suddendly said, "Remus and Tonks have survived." "Yeah, me too." Harry agreed at once. How, no one knew. Just that it had been an unconciousness together with a stupefy and body-binding curse, which had made them look as if they were dead.

But they weren`t. They were living, alive, in a little appartment somewhere in London,

looking after Teddy Lupin, their son, relieving from the war. They visited them as often as they could, Teddy was now keeping a constent violett colour of his hair. Tonks was proud. "Yes, I mean, who thought that they would survive?" Ron responded, "I mean, did you think Snape was going to survive after that snakes bite? That was

venom, I didn`t think that even he would stand it!" They all nodded in reunion, but another empty feeling gained control of Harrys stomach. After he, Hermione and Ron had gone down into the Shrieking Shack to recover Snapes body, Harry had felt something like a pulse going through the supposed deads veins. He had not believed what he had heard at first, but then automatically told Ron and Hermione. They were shocked, astonished, but then they had lifted him up onto the only, falling apart bed in the room. Hermione had used a few spellls and had given him some of the potions she used to carry round in her robe: "You never know when you need them." she shrugged, when Ron asked "Why the heck are you carrying that stuff around with ya?". Harry had sat down next to the bed all the time, watching them do the proccedure, not able to get a thought. When Snape would survive...there were so many things to be said, so much to cleared. He wanted to know more about Snapes and Lilys relationship, and was scared all the time everything would be like the past. When Ron and Hermione had managed to bring Snape back into contiousness, Harry had stayed with him while the two went off to fetch Professor McGonnegal. He had sat there, next to Snapes bed. Harry made many attempts to talk, but no words came out of his throat, so they remained in silence, green eyes staring into black, until Ron and Hermione had come back with Professor Mc Gonnegal. They brought him into the hospital wing and then to St. Mungos, where he stayed for four weeks, miraciolously recovering.

After that, he had shut himself down at Hogwarts, not talking to anyone. Harry had visited him many times, but Snape had not been willing to talk, mostly sneering at Harry. Harry didn`t want to admit it but he had been hurt. He had thought....maybe after war....people would change....maybe a new chance for him and Snape... but no way. Snape would never change or admit he made mistakes. The last time he had practically thrown Harry out of his office, after Harry was desperatly trying to talk about Lily. "None of your buisness, Potter!" he had barked and when Harry was trying to talk into him, yelled at Harry until he fled. No, Snape was himself, there was no way for them to have a something like a friendship or at least respectful contact."Harry, what is the matter?" Ron said, looking closer at Harry, "Youre so absent minded today,mate!" "Sorry." Harry mumbled, "I just wished that...it is weird, but...I wished Snape would change someday. At least after all we have been through. He saved our lives, he was on our side, he just can`t go back terrorising the students and hating uns for no reason, can he?No-one can stay like that forever, or?"

"He is a greasy git-" Ron started, "RON!" it came from Hermione, who looked outraged, "and he will always be. Harry, people don`t change in reality. Maybe in Movies, but not in reality, there is nothing like a happily ever after." Ron said, ignoring her. Harry nodded, letting the words sink into him. Why did he care so much anyway? This was Snape they were talking about, not Remus or anyone. "He was friends with your mother and he even knew your aunt. " a little voice said inside his head, "so you think there is some kind of relation between you." "No I don`t!" Harry snapped back, "I hate him, he hates me and that is it." With that stubborn thought, he got up and sat on the sofa, legs and arms crossed, watching Ginny over her potions studies.

Hermione had soon started a discussion about House-Elves rights.

Everyone took part, and there was a hillarious quarrel between Ron and Hermione whetever to have house-Elves when they got married or not. ("How can you be so selfish? Imagine these elves suffering in the kitchen, that is sclavery!" " I don`t understand you. We had Kreacher all last year" "I could have gotten on without him! I paid him after every meal" "You did WHAT?" "Ronald Weasley, did you ever think I was letting any elf do something for nothing?") After they had had a wonderful lunch, suprisingly cooked by Hermione, who wouldn`t let any house elves near the frying pan, and who practiced her kitchen skills for later life, Hermione and Harry left the Burrow

.


	2. Shocking discoveries

Its me again. Thankyou for your reviews! Its good to see that some people are interested in this. I took them serious and the new chapter looks a bit better than the old one, speaking paragraphs etc.

So, the warning first. This is a family/drama story. Drama not meant as the definiton of "theatre" but arguments, crying... Anyone who doesn`t like this sort of stories shouldn`t read it, but after all, its your choice. Those of you who haven`t made a run for it, heres the second chapter and its promising for the rest of the story...

As the war was over and as they were both seventeen, they had rented two little appartments in London, magically protected and enlarged. They wanted to give Rons family time to relieve themselves from Freds death first and so they had given them their privatsphere. But they kept in contact, visiting the Weasley as often as they could. Hermione wanted to buy some stuff in diagon alley, and as Molly had made Ginny and Ron help with the household today (and when Molly made you do something, you `d better do it), Harry had agreed to accompany her. Of course, wanting to cause no attraction, they had changed their apperance. Harry now looked like a cousin of Ron, red-haired and tall, and Hermione was resembling a younger version of Lily with brown eyes and sleek, shining, red hair. They got through the road without problems, no reporters stopping to question them or people craining their neeks to see the "Boy who lived." And the "The Hermione Granger". The owls infront of Eyelops Owlery were shrieking in their cages, the whole street was filled by laughter and chatter and Harry and Hermione saw some of their friends from school. Neville Longbottom was being lectured on the street by his grandmother. Although he was much taller than her, he seemed tiny when she got into a fit. Harry supressed a smirk. Some things would never change. His eye caught a book in Flourish and Blotts window: Here I am again by Gilderoy Lockhart. He sighed, then pointing it out to Hermione, who blushed when she saw Gilderoys twinkling eyes and his wide grin on the front cover.

"Oh my, he has got his memories back." she whispered excitedly, " Harry, come on."

Harry let out a very, very heavy sigh, then followed Hermione who dragged him into the store. She purchased a signed copy of Here I am again and clutched it to here chest, closing her eyes with a smile. "Hey, better not do that in front of Ron." Harry teased her. She pouted: "It is my buisness which boys I fancy." Still pouting, she turned away from him. They bought new quills and parchment at "Hestias Handwriting.", then went into a fashion store where Hermione again purchased a pair of trainers while Harry stood aside, thinking why girls had to put so much on fashion.

"Harry, come on, do they suit me?" she asked, turning over.

"Yes, they do." Harry said, without really looking. Pink trainers? Well, if Hermione liked them...He had to admit that she too had changed over last year. She wasn`t to keen on rules any more and did enjoy breaking them. She was still interessted in books, but in other things too. Even if they were trainers, pink trainers with glittery hearts. After a breathtaking conversation whetever to take those or a pair of new boots and finally leaving with the trainers, Hermione was satisfied and Harry on the border of his nerves.

Then, they went to the drugstore.

"Pain healing salva and some of these dragon fangs." Hermione was saying, "Yes, dragon fangs." She repeated, as the cashier looked at her irritated, "We will need them in year seven."

Dragon fangs? Harry knew that a single dragon fang was expensive because usually dragons didn`t like their teeth being pulled out and so fangs were difficult to get. But if they needed dragon fangs, that meant they would make much more difficult potions in year seven.

Which meant he would probably spoil every single one of them and if Slughorn would retire (Harry had overheard him in a discussion with Hagrid), Snape would make his life hell, taking house points of Gryffindor and humillating him infront of the Slytherins. The old hatred boiled up in him again, leaving nothing but a sudden urge to punch that git for good. When was this ever going to stop? Was he going to hate Snape for the rest of his life? The cashier handed over the dragon fangs and Hermione and Harry turned to leave the store, when a sudden voice pulled them back.

"Hey, Miss, wait." Hermione turned around at once,

"What is it?" she asked, alarmed.

"Your change!"

"Oh yeah!" Hermione said, rushing back at once and taking it,

"I´m sorry! Eh, what is that?" She was pointing at a stack pile of sheets in various colours next to the cashier.

"Gentests!" the girl said brightly, "We had them delievered for free! Its a todays special, so take one if you want."

"Gentest?" Hermione asked if she couldn`t believe what she had just heard.

"For free!" The shop assistant, a teenage girl with blonde hair, pick up two papers and waved them in the air excitedly, grinning through her giant teeth, "Just for today. Will show everyone you are related to, has helped millions of people who wanted to find out more about their families. Do you want to try them out?"

"Uhm..." Hermione said unsurely, exchanging irritated looks with Harry. Harry shrugged and felt his heart jumping. Gentest.. What result could he get? Related to Lily and James Potter, of course. His grandparents, sure. And Auntie Petunia. He grimaced. But maybe...He had a very strange feeling, like in these movies where the truth is revealed. But like Ron said, this was reality, not a movie, and there were no happy endings and no truth revelations. So, what could happen? He nodded. Hermione raised and eyebrow, but turned to face the girl.

"We take them." Hermione ordered, holding out her hand. The girl trust the papers into her hand and squeaked: "Thanks!" then she ran of into the back of the store. Harry waved his head infront of his face and they left.

"What does it say?" Harry asked as they were out on the street. Hermione pulled the test out of her beaded bag and pushed Harry aside, preventing him to get run over by a group of chinese witches. She studied the paper, her eyes narrowed and looked up:

"Blood. We need blood." Harry groaned. Getting blood did hurt, even with your wand and if it was for nothing...

"Oh come on." Hermione pushed him, "Imagine we find out we are related to a Hungarian Horntail or anything the sort."

"Hagrid would be thrilled." Harry said sarcastically. They both broke out laughing, imaging Hagrids face. ("What? Related to an Hungarian `orntail? But, that is just great, ya two!")

"Ready?" Harry nodded and bit his teeth together as Hermione pointed her wand at his arm, muttered "Fellaros!" and automatically a string of blood spun out of it, laying itself neatly onto the gentest. Hermione did the same procedure with her own blood and then they waited. It was an arkward silence, each of them having their own thoughts. Harry mind was spinning and Hermione felt like she could not breath any longer. They both felt that it wouldn`t come out what they expected...Then, Hermione got up the test. They had put themelves into envelopes, adressed to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Hermione looked so scared, nearly terrified, that Harry said: "Me first." and grabbed the envelope. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and ripped it open. He stared at the parchment, going down. He came to the "Related to" part and stopped. No...no...no... It couldn`t be, it was not possible. He breathed in heavily, his eyes wide open in shock, unbelivable shock.

He stared at the paper. Fine lines said...

No. It wasn`t possible.

His mind was blocked out. He didn`t hear, didn`t feel, just stared...

"NO!" he started yelling, "NO! NO! THIS IS A LIE! NOT! THIS CANNOT BE! ITS A LIE! I DON´T WANT IT! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The last was a scream, a defeated scream of agony, and helplessness. His eyes were burning, he was on the ground, sobbing, clutching the paper, clinging onto Hermione for dear life. Then he felt the world turning around. Everything was turning, spinning, a swirl of colours. There was a ringing in his ears, getting louder and louder, he didn`t feel anything, see anything and then he saw black. He fell on the street, unconscious, lying there and not moving. Hermione was shocked, electrized. She jerked up and bent down, shaking Harry, trying to wake him up. She stuffed the gentest in his robe-pocket, making a mental note to deal with that later, she first needed to get Harry out of here. People were gazing at them, there were whispers and Hermione heard a little girl say: "Mummy, is he dead?"

"Wake up!" Hermione whispered, "Please wake up!" She shook him harder, slapping him lightly on the cheek. Harry didn` t react. He nearly looked dead, mouth open and eyes closed. A flash of light and then footsteps coming nearer and nearer. Hermione looked behind her and saw someone with a camera, taking pictures, who matched someone from the daily prophet. He raised his camera again, aiming for a better view. Hermione reacted at once. She took Harry and apparated to her house. Taking relieving breaths, she saw the outlines of her appartment and walked up the opened the front door, sinking under his weight and muttered a few spells to deprotect it. She took the lift and got to her door. The magical barriers unlocked and let her in. She opened the appartment door, still holding Harry. She carried him inside, not knowing what to do....What could have been so wrong that he lost conciousness...She got into the , she layed him onto the sofa, putting a cover over him, gently stroking through his hair. What could have happened to make him faint? She knew this had happened during year 3 with the dementors, but Harry could defend themselve against them (much better then she did, she remembered) and Voldemort was dead. The only possible thing that might have happened was...

One thing she knew was that he certainly had to be related to someone he did not want to be. Who on earth? Her eye caught the paper she had hurriedly stuffed inside his robe. Red. Warning sign. She fished out his gentest. She wanted to know, at once.

Then she stared at the lines, staring her head in disbelief. No...oh my god, poor Harry! But it couldn`t actually be, could it? It was illogical, it made no sense, oh for Merlins sake, what would Harry do? With shaking fingers, she got out her own gentest, ripping open the envelope. If hers proved to be right, Harrys had to be a mistake, a teribble mistkake....

Brothers/Sisters... Harry... HARRY???

No, but then...She couldn`t breath. The world stopped. Like moving very, very slowly she got down to the line. She read:

Father: Severus Tobias Snape.

And in that moment, her entire world crushed down.


	3. Hermione

Hi! Here is the next chapter. Sorry I didn`t upload sooner.

Thankyou for your reviews! Those of you who have subscribed but not reviewed this story: Tell me what you think! O.K.?

Chapter 3 containing Hermiones thoughts and a bit Luna...

Hermione didn`t know how long she had been staring at the paper, just staring at it, until the lines smudged, leaving blurred black points, unreadable in the wetness of her eyes. She shook her head over and over again, like trying to get rid of a parasite. Fear and shock drowned her body. Father... but that was wrong, that had to be wrong. He couldn`t be her father.

He couldn`t be. After all, this was Snape, Severus Snape, her_ teacher_!

She took very heavy breaths, her shoulders sinking and rising. This was not possible. Vivid pictures floated through her mind, all of them having to do with Snape. But his daughter? _Please let me wake up! _

She thought desperately and panicked more every minute, , _please let this be a nightmare! Please let me be in my bed, just waking up. Come on!_ But nothing the happened. She sat, paralized on the floor, staring at the paper, thoughts wirling about in her mind, nothing making sense.

She had grown up with her real parents, they would have told her if she had been adopted. Or maybe they didn`t...The latter hit Hermione, when she even couldn`t trust her parents...or were they her parents?

Snape? Why him? Why him? She didn`t want to...

"But thats rubbish!" she thought harshly, "Hermione, wake up, he doesn`t even look like you. Thats just a stupid joke, thats all. You have your family, and that is it."

"But what about Harry?" a voice said in her head, "How on earth can he be my brother? We`re friends, okay, but related? And even if Snape was her father, why didn`t she and Harry grow up in the same family, just assuming they were both adopted? She thought hard, tried out different solutions, but nothing made sense. She started feeling sick- and then...

She couldn`t stand it any longer. It was too much. His daughter, the sentences were echoing inside her head, Hermione Granger, daughter of Severus Snape, gentest, related... After throwing Harry a quick glance to see if he was still sleeping, she to the bathroom. She just made it.

Leaning over the sink, her hands tightened, she trew up. It was terrible, after every turn she felt a urge to vomit again, feeling sicker and grew more hungry and more tired every second, than, made a grab for the tap, swallowing the cool water, feeling her body slowly calm down. She looked into the mirror. Her own face, pale and horrified, was looking at her. She swayed, then staggered to her bedroom,

slammed the door behind her and threw herself onto her bed. She pulled her body together, curling up like a cat and in that safe position burried her head into her pillow. Expecting sobs any minute, she closed her eyes. She waited. And waited. And...

No tears came. She pressed her eyes together, but they wouldn`t come. Her body was trembling terribly, but she couldn`t cry.

Then, she just lay there, ready to wake up out of a terrible nightmare any minute. The gentest occupied her mind, why had she bought that thing? She hadn`t had a good feeling about it, either, but whatever she had expected, it had not been this... She settled just laying there, unable to change the fact she had just discovered...

And if he was here father? What would change? A sad smile appeared on her face. Sure, he wouldn`t want any one them, someone as bitter and as hateful as Snape wouldn`t want...children... She let out a sigh. She was eighteen, her childhood had passed, and her parents had always cared for her. She had had a wonderful childhood, unlike Harrys, she remembered, now staring at the ceiling, which white colour blinded her, remembering her of her empty stomach. Harry never had any one who he really could call family, of course, he had had them and Sirius, but Sirius was dead and the people Harry was forced to call family for seventeen years never cared a shit about him. And now, from all the people he could have been related to, from all these people it had to be Snape, the man Harry had once hated more than Voldemort, who had saved his life and humilated him both an uncountable numbers of times. The man, who made hers and Harrys life hell at school, who used every occasion to take house points away or to annoy them, saying that Hermione was "A know-it-all" and Harry "Just as arrogant as your father!" Her lips twitched. If Harry was really _as arrogant as his father,_ no wonder he was related to Snape... But probably the test was rubbish. Hermione had to admit that she found the idea horrible but she couldn`t ignore the fact that she found the idea of Harry of being her brother quite pleasant, even if that meant having to deal with Snape. She never had had any brothers or sisters, but she had longed to have some, and know, the chance of her life came, but of cause, it had to have something bad about it as well. She felt like being pushed into a TV Episode where people found their families they hadn`t know for a lifetime. But this was not TV, as Ron had mentioned, it was reality. If they were her family...

Well, she wouldn`t know what to do...She strechted out again, sitting on her bed. The one thing she needed know was a shower. She got up and walked through the hallway which she had flourished a little, making it look posh with its wodden floor and candle holders on the wall. She got into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She undressed herself and climbed into the shower, turned it on, feeling the relievement of hot water drown her thoughts. That was the wonderful thing about showering, you didn`t need to think. She stayed there, listened to the music of the rhytmical splashes of water hitting the floor of the tube, she even washed her hair which she usually hated to do. When she was finished, she got out and wrapped herself into a tower, which felt warm and comfortable against the coldness of the bathroom. For her hair, she used a quick drying charm, not wanting to take any efforts in using the hairdryer. She dressed herself into jeans and a T-Shirt and walked out of the door, nearly tripping over crookshanks, who let out a very loud hiss as she accidentally stepped on his tail and sped of, hiding under the bed. The only thing you could see where his yellow eyes like traffic lights, gleaming in the darkness.

"Oh, Crookie, sorry, darling!" Hermione said, feeling remorse. She felt sick and dizzy again, the gentest was in her mind, making it impossible to think of anything else. If she had thought a shower helped to make herself feel clean and less troubled, she had been horribly mistaken. The weight in her stomach grew larger...

"Luna!" she thought, like a drowning person who had sighted a lifeboat. Luna was spending the holidays in the rainforest, looking for crumble- horned snorkaks with her father Xenophillius, who both shared the same idea that they existed. According to Luna, she had even seen a snorkak once, in Brasil, but in the middle of the forest, she told Hermione, there were more of them and other creatures, more dangerous and very rare.

Hermione just hoped Luna would be there and that it would be daytime where she was. She didn`t have enough strength to calculate time differences at the Luna had left Hermione the number of her pension along with her room number, Hermione did think she would be spending most of the day in the rainforest rather than out. Luckily, she would be staying in a muggle pension, and Luna, thanks to her father, who seemed to take the same interest in muggle stuff as Rons father, knew how to use a telephone. She dialed the number and then waited.

Tuut-tuut-tuut-tuuuuuuuut

Chrk-chrk-chrk

"Hello?" a dreamy voice asked.

"Luna!" Hermione said happily

"Whos there?" the dreamy voice asked. Hermione had a visual image of Luna sitting on her bed, radished dangling from her ears.

"Its Hermione Granger." Hermione said.

"Oh, hello, Hermione." Luna answered, sounding interested.

"So, how are you?" Hermione asked. What she needed know was Luna talking about her experiences in the rainforest, something distracting her from the....

"I´m fine!" Luna said thoughtfully, "I got bitten by a snorkak, but daddy says the spit is really precious, so I should be glad."

"Didn`t he say the gnom spit was precious, too?" Hermione asked, unconvinced. She wasn`t sure if Xenophillius Lovegood was such an expert at this topics.

"Yes, they are two of the few substances that give you overpowered abbilities for a few hours. I can even Foxtrott !" she said earnestly.

"O-kay..." Hermione said uncertain, then quickly agreed to not test Luna on this, "Well, your holidays do sound exciting." More than mine, she added in thoughts, her face darkening.

" Yes, they are,We even saw bamboozles yesterday." Luna went on and for half an hour, Hermione just listened to her voice, telling her about the fascinations of the rainforest, making Hermione be astonished and uncertain at the same time, and saying all this in such a neutral tone that it had to be true. She was thinking of something else...someone, better to say....

"Hermione? Hermione!" Back into the present, she noticed Lunas voice ringing through the speaker.

"Yes?"

"I have to go now, daddy says he saw some nargles in a tree! Call me anytime, okay?"

"Sure." Hermione answered, confused. No, she didn`t want to stop talking to Luna, it was like a drug, no, it was better, it made her forget her own situation and the consequences she would have to face now...

"Okay, bye then!" Luna said brightly and hung up. Hermione sat there, frozen, the receiver in her outstrechted hand. Well, she needed to know. Now. She needed to know if it was true and when it was true...She pushed the thought aside. Insurance was the most important thing. She went, nearly ran to her kitchen and put a cauldron on the kochplate. She got out Professional Potions, Adult Advanced and opened it up at chapter 8: Genetical Relationship Potion. After this, she would be totally sure. Then it was fact. She took a deep breath and her fingers started tracing down the ingridients.


	4. Theres MORE?

New chapter! Thanks for your review again, I think its time I answer them personally:

Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, if it was because of spelling mistakes or because of the story itself, thanks you`re great!

From third chapter: harmonious: pleased that you like it! Thanks very much!

Pstibbons: I know I`m not the great speller but I usually check over it. This is my first story at and I`d rather not use a beta reader for this time. Hermione not dating Ron? Sorry, but I don`t think thats possible with me, I just love the couple. But they will have an giant fight in this story and Hermione will split up. If they`ll get together again and the thing about Hermiones and Harrys mother...just wait, read, review and see! Thanks for your review though!

I am happy with my reviewers, although I`d like to see some of the subscribers review too. So many people subscribers, but so little reviews? This isn`t to stop you from subscribing, it`s just that I`d like to see some more reviews from you guys, too.

And even if you don`t review: Have fun reading!

Warning: This chapter is a bit dramatic (like all those so far), but I have to make it dramatic, otherwise I wouldn`t make any sense. The real "action" will come in the following chapters, promise.

It didn`t look simple at all. But she thought it was worth it. What did she need? Newt skin. Trout scales. Crushed beetle. Orange. Lavender essence. Thinking this sounded like a mixture of a really horrible potion and hair shampoo, she got the ingridients (she counted 28) out of her cupboard, she kept magically locked in case the neighbours got suspicious. Her next door neighbour was a witch herself, so she didn`t need to worry, but even she herself had to admit that she would have found it strange if her neighbour kept a storage of beetle eyes next to china plates and cooking pots. Great. The Crushed beetle was in the livingroom. She had once and for all used it in the livingroom. The effect was.. very explosive. She raced down the corridor and opened the livingroom door. Harry was still on the sofa, but turning around, mumuring things.

"Harry?" she whispered, kneeling infront of the seventeen year was visible on his forehead. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes closed. His arms lay motionlays on the sofa. His raven black hair stood up in odd angles.

"Harry?"

She carefully patted his shoulder. He started throwing his arms around himself like in a nightmare and she held him tight to prevent him from falling on the ground. "No, not him..." Hermione heard him mutter, "Not him..." She felt guilt wash over her. If she hadn`t forgotten her exchange, they would have never bought this test. It was all her fault. She couldn`t do anything but sit there. She stood up and got some wet cloth from the bathroom and tried to cool his forehead with it. When he relaxed a while later, she found the crushed beetle in a seperate cupboard and went back to the kitchen. The sooner she knew the truth the better. She filled the cauldron with water and waited till it boiled. What was next? Crushed beetle the lid with a quivering hand, she poured them in the hot water below her. The made a hissing noise and some water sprang at her. She ducked just in time. She cut the orange in exact pieces and then added them to her potion. It stayed red, although it should have turned green by now. She hastily looked around. She had forgotten the Curry. Damn! Why was she so terrible? She usually got top marks in potions but when it was important she had to spoilt it all. She added the Curry because by chance she knew that Curry wasn`t a very important ingridient and could be left out if necessary. There. It turned green. Wonderful. She cut the newt skin in slices and after 10 min. added it, too. Lavender essence. 5 drops. Then she had to stir it 8 times left, 7 times right and then again 8 times before she had to add chunked banana. Then within one minute trout scales. After a while, she noticed her hands were working on her own and she was enjoying it. She never got what Harry found so difficult about potions. She couldn`t imagine something as exciting, well, duelling of course, but it was her favourite subject next to arithmancy. You had to be ultra precise, maybe that was that was the dare. It was like cooking. And you could do more with it than just eat it. Potions saved peoples life...Like a lightining bolt, it hit her what she had just been thinking. With a certain amount of sarcasm, she noticed that if Severus Snape had a daughter she must be exactly thinking the same. Damn potions.

30 minutes later, the potion was ready. It had taken a nice shade of purple. What did she need know? Hair from the persons who wanted to know if they were related. She went back to the livingroom and managed to cut off a piece of hair from Harry. She had once managed to get a piece of hair from Snape to, if anyone ever needed to transform into him during their various adventures. She had hair of Mc Gonnegal, Dumbledore, Tonks and many other people, a whole collection. Then she dug her hand into her own bushy hair and yanked. Painful but pleased, she finally held three hairs in her palm. Two darkblack ones and a brown one. She bit her lip. "I am just ending my life here." she said in a low voice," I have lived a life as Hermione Jean Granger without any brothers or sistes. If this test doesn`t fail, I will have a completele new family. Thats what I wanted to say." She waited for moment, uncertain, but then practically flung the hair in the potion and turned her head. She couldn`t see the result. Just couldn`t. She sat on her kitchen chair, arms crossed. Did she want it? Or didn`t she want it? She didn`t know. Again, the idea of Harry being her brother was tempting...but on the other side, why Snape? Why him? Why did all good things always had to come at a certain price, as high as this one? If the potion failed...She would be utterly relieved but nervertheless disappointed. If it didn`t...As it was unberable by now, she walked over to the potion. It had turned a shade of darkblue. Blue, what was blue again? She had a very, very definite feeling. She took a deep breath. She looked at the book. Her face was blank without any expression.

She sat in the livinroom, pretending to read a book but not taking in any of the meaning. Relievingly, she heard Harry stir. "Harry!" she cried, pulling a chair toward the sofa. He was awake, a little confused though, but awake. She smiled at him and he feebly grinned back. "Better?" she asked. He shrugged. Better? Had he been ill? Then he noticed he was lying on her sofa. So something must have happened. But what? He tried to remember but his brain seemed to be wrung out. He tried to make a clue from Hermiones face but she didn`t show any sign.

"Wha-what happened?" he asked.

"Don`t bring this up now!" she cried silently, but her pleas weren`t heard. She turned his back on him and produced a glass of water. She handed it to him, and unable to meet his eyes, said quietly, her eyes on the floor: "You fainted. You know. After you saw the gentest."

Harry had just been taking a sip of water, but now, after he his first confused thought (Gentest? What Gentest?") all the colour drained from his face,his eyes widened in shock and he started chocking and spluttering. With a very guilty expression, she patted his back. Unconnected sentences issued from his throat.

"But" cough "Hermione" cough "I am" cough "Snapes" cough "Can`t " cough "Son". "I know!" she said,

"I know its impossible, but..." He stopped coughing and lent back down on the pillows. Several minutes past. It took a long time before Harry spoke.

"Hermione." He said in a dry, slow voice: "The test said I am Snapes son. Me."

" I know!" she repeated. Did he never listen!

"What do you mean I KNOW!" Harry yelled, but then seemed to gain control of himself again. "I am sorry. I`m just..."

"I know." she said again, in a calming tone of voice. He looked at her with a amused expression "Is that the only thing you`re able to say?"She didn`t answer but continued her staring at the floor like trying to memorize the pattern. His expression hardened again.

"Its ridiculous, or? We don`t even look alike. I can`t be, I have- well, had- a father. Or?"

"Of course." She quickly answered, still avoiding having to look at him.

"And there is no proof anyway"

"There is."

It had slipped out of Hermione, slipped out like something waiting inside to burst out at the most unfitting time. Harry wrinkled his brow: "What do you mean "There is proof" ?"

She hesitated, threw him a scared glance, but then lied

"The test. I think that is proof."

"ARE YOU SO DETERMINED IN HAVING HIM IN MY FAMILY!" Harry shouted.

She raised her head and looked directly into his face.

"Sorry." he mubled and restrained himself, lying back down. He didn`t know what to feel. He couldn`t feel anything, actually. "Well at least I know where your temper comes from." Hermione muttered. Harry overheard that. A laming, terrible feeling of shock seemed to have taken control of his body. He would wake up any minute, no doubt. He just had to close his eyes. And wait. And wait. He opened them again, and nearly cried out in frustration when he found himself still lying in the same livingroom, in the same appartment, in the same situation. A stinging in his eyes. He pressed them together as hard as he could. He was certainly not going to cry.

"Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity. Fame isn`t everything, is it, Mr. Potter?" The cold, snarling voice was echoing inside his head, over and over again. Sentences from a well known person. Someone he had hated, truly hated for seven years. Someone who had nearly died trying to protect his life. And someone he know wished to kill. His father. That git of a man was his father. He wanted to fall asleep and never wake up again. Hermione approached closer to him, still looking very guilty.

"Are you allright?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry said ironically, "After such brilliant news I was of course aware of who wouldn`t feel great?"

"Seriously." Hermione insisted.

"You wouldn`t want to know."

"I`d like to."

She answered delicately and sat down on the edge of the sofa. It creaked a little. She stared down at him, unable to say a word. Harry didn`t say anything, either. The unconciousness must have already taken out his first shock, he felt weak and helpless. Nightmare. It was a nightmare. Hermione reached out and got hold of his hand. She took it as a good sign he didn`t shake it of, but started stroking it a little to have something to do.

"Harry." She started, taking a deep breath again, "There is more."

He jumped. "MORE?"

"Yes."

She regretted she had even mentioned the topic. But now she was in it and had to finish it. "Good or bad?" Harry at once asked.

"Well..." she said vaguely, "Depending whetever you think its good or bad (Harry groaned) I personally think its...good."


	5. Hopelessness

A new chapter! Your getting better, already 3 reviews!

So, a big thankyou goes to:

Harmonius: Hey! Don`t let yourself be killed till the end of the story!

I Don`t want to blamed for peoples deaths, okay?

jessirose: Thanks very much! Keep on reading&reviewing!

pstibbons: Sorry you don`t like the couple. If you read this, though, I can assure you, there won`t be any real dating scenes- Hermiones already got enough trouble now- but they`ll be together. If you want to, you can keep on reading (there is certainly no place for any dating in the following chapters!!!!) and if not, still, thanks for subscribing!

"What is it?" Harry said out of nothing, "Umbridge as my mother?" She broke out into laughter. It felt wonderful after the days shock, relieving, taking the weight of her stomacht for a few minutes and it was so infecting Harry joined in. They stopped after some minutes, each straightening themselves again into a serious state. Hermione let out a few gasps of ending laughter before she turned to adress Harry again. "No, nothing to do with Umbridge." "Good." Harry said sternly. "Harry, have you checked the brothers and sisters part when opening your gentest?" He felt a painful twitch in the stomach when being reminded of the thing, but shook his head. "No, the first time I saw Real Name: Harry James Severus, I already thought I was nuts. Sorry, no." "Harry, please do not lose contiousness again, now, okay." "O-okay..." he said nervously, obivously getting ready for whatever Hermione was going to do next. She reached behind her and handed him her gentest. He read the first line: "Name: Hermione Jean Granger. Real Name: Hermione Jean Evans. EVANS?" Now she was the one too look completely confused: "Whats so strange, thats my mothers girl name!" "My mothers, too!" Harry insisted, aghast. "There are plenty people called Evans." Hermione brushed it off impatiently, "Read the brothers/sisters line." Another thunderstorm was building up over her head. She hadn`t noticed the thing about Evans. Oh no, not more problems, please!" she begged. Harry had continued reading and had reached the predicted line. "Brothers/Sisters: Harry James Severus Evans. WHAT?????????????" Harry yelled, in complete shock stared at her. "But then... Merlins pants, Hermione. YOU TOO?" She nodded, tears swimming in her eyes. "You-your my brother." She said in a funny voice, not quite like she usually sounded, "My brother. I think that counts, or?" Harry didn`t say anything, but reached her in a few quick strides and then hugged her so tightly she quite suffocated. "Promise." He whispered, "We`ll stay together, whatever happens." "I promise." she anwered hoarsley.

They stayed in these position. Minutes, Hours, Days, maybe even years, passed as they finally parted, both with gleaming eyes of joy, unable to take in the fact they were now family, reuntied family, finally together.

Harry resettled back on the sofa, Hermione sat on the end beside him, legs pulled towards. They smiled at each other. They didn`t speak. Still, they understood themselves better than they had ever done was still shock, but something pleasant, warm and comforting, too, knowing they weren`t totally alone in the world. "Hermione" Harry said quietly, "Maybe it has nothing to do with Snape at all. Maybe we`re still brothers and sisters, but Snape isn`t...It could be true, or? You could test it, or?" He looked so desperate, so longing to make this come true, Hermione wanted to agree, wanted to comfort him and say yes, wanted it to be true too. She couldn`t bare to see his reaction. She nodded, not looking. But she hadn`t told Harry everything. Although she had to do it now, she knew. When was it better than now? She could still put it off, of course. But what use would that be to any one of them? She waited for a few more minutes, then spoke with the face of someone, who has to deliever very bad news. "Harry." She said, in the tone of someone who has to explain a small child that people who die don`t come back, "You need to understand this. After we made the test, I-I couldn`t belive it, too- like you. I-I did a genetical potion to test and-and" "YES?" Harry dragged her, the excitement and annoyance written over his face. Why did girls make everything so complicated? There was a glance of hope, a way out of this. He watched her carefully, tryingt to see any change of emotion. "Harry." Taking another very deep breath, closing her eyes and then opening them again, Hermione regarded his face, then looked at him with pleading, its-fact-but-not-my-fault-eyes, "It is...it is...Harry... It is 100 procent. We are 100 procent realted to him. It turned all darkblue. That means we...well...we... are his children. Harry, listen, I am so sorry, really sorry, but I can`t do anything, can I. I am sorry but ...Harry?" But he didn`t move. Something inside him had just crashed down, like on the day he had discovered the many things Dumbledore had hidden from him. Something had broken inside him. For a moment, everything was blinded out, he only saw Snapes face and the hatred, now stronger than before, built up inside him again. Then he heard Hermiones voice: "That means we...well...we... are his children." A scream, more terrifying and realistic than ever of a woman before filled his head, than a blinding flash of green light, and a cruel, high voice laughing, laughing at her torture and pain he had given her. He impatiently shook his head to one side, trying to throw it off. Instead, another wave of emotions took control of him. He heard Hermiones voice through fog: "Harry, Harry! Harry?" He didn`t react. She moved closer to him, putting an arm round his shoulder. If she had looked guilty before, it was nothing to what she looked like now. "Harry." She said again, "I`m so sorry." He didn`t answer. "Look, I know you feel terrible now, but, Harry, it could turn out not so bad, or. Were in the same situation, we`ll get on." "Hermione" he quietly interrupted her, his voice was barely heard over her comforts but she stopped at once, taking every second he at least spoke for a good sign, "Can I please be alone for a while." "Of, of course." she said hastily and jumped up. Her arm wavered unsurely in the air, then shortly touched his shoulder. She didn`t dare to do anymore at the moment. Harry was as white as a sheet, his eyes unfocused somewhere in the room. He looked dreadful.

"I`ll be in the kitchen if you need me." She added. "Okay." He said.

She quavered in the door for another moment, then went out into the corridor, shutting it behind her. She knew exactly what Harry felt like now.

She couldn`t concentrate. She paced up and down the kitchen. She couldn`t stand him being there alone in the livingroom, having to deal with those news. Was it like that being a sister? Worried for your "little brother"? After all, she was a year older than him. And worried. She knew what Harry was like in a situation that was to immense for him to control. He shut himself down, didn`t talk to anyone and blamed himself for whatever had happened. If she and Ron had not watched out in Year 4, after Cedric had died, maby Harry would have always stayed depressed and down. But he was 17. So old enough, and he probably did want to be alone, she told herself.

Hermione had given up her useless efforts in cooking and ordered a pizza from the Takeaway Service. She removed the safety protection for a moment, then waited patiently at the door until the guy from the pizza service came. She smiled politely and took in the steaming box of pizza, payed, then closed the door and when he was out of reach, readjusted the safety charms. When she got in the kitchen, her heart missed a beat and then jumped with happinies. Harry was sitting at the kitchen table, his ellbow resting on the table and his hand supporting his head. He looked up when she came in, but then lowered his gaze again. Not knowing what to do else, Hermione took two plates and layed two slices of pizza on each. She sat down opposite Harry and pushed one of the plates towards him. He perceived the food, then lifted his head again to face her and quietly said: "Sorry, I`m not hungry." "Eat." she insisted. He shook his head. "Oh, come on!" she dragged him. He shook his head again and pushed his plate away. She sighed but left him his will. After vomiting she was quite hungry, although she to would have rather not eaten anything. The chance of it coming out again the wrong way was very high. She stared at her pizza, turning it over and over with her fork, the end, she cut herself a smale slice and swallowed it. It tasted good. She attacked her pizza again. More slices followed. After a while, she was full, she had reloaded her plate with 3 more slices of pizza. All of it left were crumbs and tiny bits of what had been a salami pizza. Harry hadn`t spoken a word, but watched her eat. Hermione Jean Evans was his sister. His SISTER. He oddly thought what they had in common. There were a few things... they were both good students (she was brilliant), they both were good at defense against the Dark Arts (his best subject by far). Even their face was shaped the same. He wondered why he hadn`t noticed that before. Maybe you never got to think of those totally ridiculous things until they were fact. But then, he thought, they were scaringly real. Although, it wouldn`t be bad being Hermiones brother. It would feel good after the long years as an only child at the Dursleys (with his favourite cousin Dudley.) Hermione finished after a while. They looked at one another. "Harry...are you..better now?" she asked, as if he just been cured from a terrible illness. He shrugged. "Better? How would you feel- oh sorry!" he quickly said, as he saw her getting angry, "How do you feel?" "Hmm." she said, raising her eyebrow, but then calmed down: "It feels horrible...Snape...I can`t believe it...oh Harry!" she looked at him and there was symphathy in her eyes. Harry knew it was meant for him. "Please do not pity me, okay!" he snapped. He quickly turned away from her. He didn`t want anyone to pity him, like a small child. Why did everyone always think him of being so sentimental? Did he cry that often? Or was it simply because Hermione knew, really knew that his worst nightmare had just become true? When he turned to face her again, she had burried her face in her hands. "Hermione?" he said shocked, "Look, I didn`t want be so rude. Its" "Its not because of you!" she whined. She lifted her head. Unshed tears sparkled in her brown, warm eyes. "Its because of the test! Merlin, what are we going to DO?"


	6. Gone and Parted

sadisticallyobssessedmagaluvr: Thanks for your review! Sorry, this can`t be a HP/HG shipper- it`s not logical when you look at the plot!

And is it bad writing something about Harry and Hermione without them coming together? I think everyone here is allowed to write what they want to and if it`s irritating for some people: Sorry, but merely look at the title to know it`s not a romance. Or at the Category. No problem. Still, I hope you keep on reading and reviewing!

jessirose85: thanks for your review as well! I know, when you write a story, you should also take in critism, but aren`t the good reviews always the best ones  ?

ginny75: thanks a lot! Same as jessirose85! Both: keep ond reading and reviewing!

harmonious: I agree *grin*

Shout oUT: This is my shout box. Whenever there repeated questions or critism, or anythign I want to say, it`s cleared in here:

shoUT: HP/HG shipper. This is not a HP/HG shipper. Sorry, but the plot its that they are related. And I can`t make all of you love this idea, but those who don`t- there are plenty HP/HG romances in this archive! Read them instead! Those who do: here is a story *wave*

shoUT: Beta reader. Maybe later, I will definetly think about it. But not now. I check the spelling in every chapter to be sure.

shoUT: Don`t be scared to ask questions about the plot or if you don`t understand something in the chapter. I will answer every reviewer!

So, I kept you long enought. New chapter- and please tell me what you think!

She paused, the unanswered question hanging in the air above them. Silence. What where they going to do? Sure, there were plenty of ideas, but everyone was more ludicrous, more laughable than the opened his mouth, but Hermione spoke again, talking in a monologue "Should we simply go and talk to him? But I don`t think thats a good idea, seeing as its him" "Hermione" Harry said, more quietly than before, "We are not going to do anything."

Vexed, she stopped, staring at him. "What do you mean "We are not going to do anything?" Hermione said irritated. Then she got back to her usual sincerness:"Harry, I beg you, its not the time for jokes. I personally think it would be the best to" "Hermione." Harry interrupted her again, speaking in a very strange tone of voice that she started to get worried. His voice was high and unnatural. "We are not going to do anything." Her eyes narrowed: "Harry, are you alright?" "Sure I am allright." He said, still in that strange voice. He looked quite maniac, eyes drifting around in the room, mouth slightly opened.

"Than please talk sense." She cut in a very definite voice, "Make a useable suggestion, come on, Harry." "As I already told you" "Oh, please, Harry, don`t be childish" "I`m not childish" "But you act like you are. Get a grip on. We have to go to him and" "WHAT DOES IT MEAN WE!" Harry exploded, his voice had changed back to normal, but was shaking with rage now. He pulled himself from his seat, standing up: "WHY ALWALYS WE? HE WAS THE ONE AFTER" "Harry!" "NO, HERMIONE!" "But" "NO BUTS! HE PROBABLY ABONDANDED US WHEN WE WERE SMALL, YOU ARE NOT THINKING REALISTIC, GRANGER, HE DOES NOT WANT US! GOT IT? WHY SHOULD WE CRAWL TO HIM IF HES HAPPY TO HAVE GOTTEN RID OF US" "Harry, its surely not like that" "STOP DEFENDING HIM! YOU THINK ALL TEACHERS ARE SAINTS, FINE, HE ISN`T! HE IS A DEATHEATER, A TERRIBLE TEACHER,THATS ALL HE IS AND A LOUSY EXCUSE FOR A PARENT. NOW TELL ME:

WHY SHOULD WE GO AND TALK TO HIM? WHY?" The last word halled desperately, begging,through the room. Hary sat back down. He had stopped screaming, but was trembling with anger and dread. He couldn`t help but feeling guilty in for the way he had yelled at Hermione, the only one next to him stuck in this mess. It was not her fault that he never go on with Snape. It wasn`t her fault she wasn`t a Granger. It wasn`t her fault he was not related to James Potter. But he wanted to blame someone for it. Someone who deserved to be blamed. "Sorry" he mumbled, afraid to look at Hermione. "Don`t worry." she said, although her voice was shaking a little from fear. "Please lets forget about it, Hermione." Harry said. She opened her mouth,but he was faster: "I know what you want to say and you have pretty good reasons for it, but- do it for me, if you can`t do it for you." She opened her mouth again. Too late. "For you, its maybe...okay, well, you can get used to it. For me its a mere nightmare and nothing else. If he doesn`t know, it makes things easier. We`re related and we can forget about him. He doesn`t need to know, does he? Please Hermione. Please. WHY should we tell him if you are so despereate? WHY?" She closed her eyelids and breathed heavily. Forget about it. Simply forget about it. Ridiculous! How could you forget about something like that! But when she opened her eyes and saw Harrys face, she changed her mind. He looked like a dog in pain. She didn`t want to hurt a dog, a helpless puppy. She made a mind race again. Harry had asked her for something. It would be the wrong way, but maybe not for him and it would be easier by far. She though again. She looked at Harry. The decision had already been made for her. "If its so terrible for you." She replied, "We can forget about it. I agree. Its maybe not the right way but, its okay with me." His face became brighter and brighter with every second she spoke. In the end he half smiled. "Thanks, Mione." He said in a hoarse voice. "No problem." She answered softly. Then next thing she said she regretted so much in future, she still slapped her forehead for so much stupidity. It was the totally wrong thing to say after having got Harrys thrust again. "You asked why." She said. Harry nodded. "Why? He may be deatheater, he may have treated us horribly, he may have made Gryffindor life hell and he may have missed no occasion to blame us...but still, after all, even after all those things, he is our father, Harry." Two seconds silence. Then Harry got up so quick, nearly knocking over the table, that she jumped. His face had a murderous expression, as he stormed out of the kitchen, yanked his jacket from the coat hanger and grabbed his rucksack from the hall. Near the door, he turned towards her again, and his eyes were flashing with anger. She felt sick. "Thanks, Granger." He snapped, irony unoverhearable in his voice, " Big help as always." He went outside, slamming the door behind him. Hermione heard him pondering down the stairs and then she heard the frontdoor being banged shut. And for second time in this day, wished that she could cry.

Harry was sitting in the kitchen. The busy street noises of London could be heard loudly even hear: crowds of people, busses rushing past, two people quarreling about whetever to walk or go by car. He didn´t take in any of it. He was reading a copy of Charms Grade 7, trying to prepare himself for school, but the lines smeared and he could make out nothing thene a bundle of letters tumbling in front of his eyes. He shut the book. He was too tired. He rembered tossing and turning in bed last night again, finding sleep at 4 a.m. in the morning. Now it was 5 p.m. and he still felt like about to fall asleep any second.

One week had passed since he had stormed out of Hermiones appartment. How dare she say that after they had agreed to forget about the whole thing? How dare she? Did she think she could make him get use to it , maybe even tasteful? His stomach turned at the very idea. Maybe he had overreacted, but what did she expect? Him to be cheerful? Did she have to bring this topic up and up again even though she knew he would not change his mind whatever happened. Still, he found himself thinking about it everyday, sometimes even dreamed about it. When he caught himself in these thoughts, he automatically searched for something else to do and felt embarassed that he had let him think that had not called, neither visited. Harry liked it this way. He had an idea that he might feel guilty if she turned up on his doorstep, but he didn`t want to admit it. He was not going to let her persuade him into things like this. He knew Hermione could be very, very insisting and very stubborn in things, like her Houseelf Campaign. The only one whom he had spoken to was Ron, who he had talked to via floonetwork one evening. He plainly told him he wasn`t feeling well and would probably not be able to visit Ron for a few weeks. Ron had suggested visiting him, but Harry had insisted in being left alone. "Hermione told me the same thing." he groaned, after Harry told him about his current state. "Oh, you have been talking to her?" Harry wanted to sound unconcerned and expressionless, but apparently something in his voice gave him away. Ron shot him an I-have-got-an-idea sort of glance and then asked: "You have been fighting?" Harry wanted to deny it, but seeing it was no use – Ron knew him far too well, slowly answered: "Well- it seems so, doesn`t it." Ron smirked. "Oh, come on, don`t let your mood be spoilt by Hermione. You probably misunderstood her." "I don`t think so." Harry growled, but noticing Ron was still not taking him serious, gave up. After a while, they said goodbye and Harry went to bed to find no sleep again.

He didn`t know what to do. He felt too tired to do anything, but still had the urge to get himself occupied someway. He filled some water in the boiler and let it boil for coffee. Hard work, wasn`t it?? He was going to find some other hillariously difficult work for him to do- when the doorbell rang. His insides twitched. He just hoped it wasn`t a very certain person. He looked watchfully out of the kitchen door. The maghogony door remained closed. He stepped out of the kitchen. The way to the door seemed to far to quick. He took a deep breath and unlocked it, removing the safety the doormat stood- "Hi!" Harry was about to say,all his dreaded premotions had come true, as a untidy haired Hermione pushed past him without a word. "What was that for?" He said, totally bewildered, watching after her and automatically activating the safety protection again. She made her way straight to the kitchen and sat down. Harry followed and took seat opposite her. Silence fell."Eh...hi" he said. She didn`t answer, her eyes kept to the table. He didn`t know where his sudden nervosity came from, he was the one to be angry, not her! "Uhm...coffee?" he unsurely suggested. He didn`t wait for her to answer, but just made his way to the coffee machine. The hot water had already boilt and he filt it in the machine. Waiting for the coffee to come, he watched her closer. Most of her face was hidden by curtains of bushy hair, still, he thought she looked exhausted. A beep of the machine told him the coffee was ready. He took the two cups and placed one infront of Hermione. When he sat again, she spoke: "Harry, I can`t stand this anymore. I can`t get on with us pretending nothing happened." He didn`t reply. She pulled the coffee towards her, balancing it a few centimetres above the table. She looked at it like thinking about drowning herself in the black liquid and said: "It`s really getting too much. I don`t know how you feel like but...Harry, please, let us stop playing about." Harry didn`t respond again, but in a kind tone said: "Well, it must obviously be a shock too you. Thats normal Hermione. Sugar?" he added, lifting the box and then went on: "It`s normal at the beginning we don`t get on with such stuff, but" "HARRY!" she yelled, banging her cup on the table with a sound that made Harry jump and finally lifting her face: " I HAVEN´T SLEPT FOR A WEEK!"


	7. Final decision

Hey! I know I haven`t uploaded for two weeks, I just didn`t have the time. Really sorry guys!  Okay but here is the next chapter  and I can tell you one promising thing- the confrontation is awaiting you next week...

Your reviews:

doctor anthony: It`s not the main pairing. I can`t tell you about the main pairing yet...Sorry if you don`t like this fic. But there are plenty Harry/Hermione romance things at . Thanks for your review!

Readerforlife: Thanks! Keep on Reviewing.

shOUT: This is not a Harry and Hermione romance fic.

This is not a Harry and Hermione romance fic.

This is not a Harry and Hermione romance fic-

And it will never be because they are RELATED

In this fic. Okay people?

This Chapter Hermiones gets hmm..."a bit"...."angry"

Warning for Swearing.

Please Read and Review and leave me lots of comments. Thanks!

Backening away at the shock in the sudden change of tone in her voice, he finally got a full view of her and what he saw made him bite his lip in guilt. She had thick, darkblack rings under her eyes, her face had a strange, greyish colour and was gaunt,her hair was a single mess, she looked much thinner then usual and her eyes glared at him. Before he could say anything, she went on:

"You`re so arrogant! You don`t even think about how I must feel, do you? You don`t waste a single thought on me, the stupid Granger girl" "Hermione" Harry begann, but she screeched: "Don`t you dare to interupt me, Harry Potter! Don`t you even try!" His body stiffened, as she got up, now towering over him. An outraged Hermione was enough to scare a whole country.

"It has always have to be comfortable for you, doesn`t it!" she yelled, "And when theres a problem you`re only solution is too forget about? What was in in seventh year, huh? Why didn`t we just forget about Voldemort and the whole Horcrux stuff, its the easier way, isn`t it? Let`s just forget about something unimportant, it doesn`t matter how many people die, its just to not bother our stupid brains and our pride, why not let someone else do the dirty job"

"Thats was different!" Harry said, in an attempt to sound important, but Hermiones voice drowned him once more:

"DIFFERENT! LET ME TELL YOU WHAT`S DIFFERENT! Didn`t you hear what Dumbledore said? "If not the few of us who know the truth unite there is no hope for any of us!"

"If that means I`ll have to get on with Snape, forget it!" Harry snapped",Its already worse enough thats he`s supposed to be my producer"

"THEN YOU´LL BLOODY WELL EXCEPT HIM AS IT! Your childish hatred will not bring us anywhere! And I don`t know what you`ve got, you should be glad to have some left in your family" "NOT HIM!"

"RATHER HIM THEN ANYONE! I can tell you, you can call him a coward, but the bigger coward IS YOU!As I already said, you can`t choose your parents, can you? And even if its not your choice of dreams, you can get on with it or you can make your life and the others around you hell! Just think about how its for me"

"But you`ve got parents, don`t you?" Hary insisted, but it was the wrong thing to say. She started yelling again: "If you mean a pair of adoptive parents who don`t bother telling me the truth"

"Still they love you!" Harry threw in, but she shook it off:

"THEY LIED TO ME! All my life they lied to me? Do you know what that means, can you think what that means? They don`t TRUST ME! They don`t trust me enought to tell me that I am adopted, CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE! I thought they liked me. But, I guess that was wrong."

She said the last sentence so quietly that Harry had trouble hearing it. He waited for more yelling, but she sank down in her seat, trembling, staring at a point next to Harry. Several minutes past. Harry was now the one to feel had yelled at her like that a week ago, but she was right, he hadn`t thought it could be any worse for her than it was for him.

"Sorry, Mione." He said, "You`re right. I was a git." She didn`t confirm him, but she didn`t deny it, either. They sat their and drank their coffee in silence, Hermione still keeping constant stare at the point next to Harry. Harry didn`t even try beginning a conversation.

Hours later, Harry had lost track of time. He raised his head and glanced at the clock: 7 p.m. WHAT? Had he really been sitting here, doing nothing for unimaginable two hours? He must have been. Hermione was also still sitting in the same position she had been sitting two hours ago and Harry doubted she would move any time soon. He got up and walked to the stove. He knew her eyes were following him, as he paced around the kitchen unable to make a decision. After a while, he haltered infront of the door. He turned around to face her: "Then lets get going." he said. "Wha-what do you mean?" she asked, perplexed, staring at him. Harry saw a shimmer of hope, of an idea which she didn`t dare thinking in her her eyes. "You know where. To Hogwarts." For one moment, she didn`t seem to get it, then she opened her mouth and her eyes in astonishment and then a smile spread over her face.

"D-d-you mean?"

"Yes." Harry said without thinking.

"Oh, Harry!" She whispered, shaking her head. It must have taken him loads of concious effort to come to that decision.

And she knew he hadn`t made it because of himself.

"Th-thankyou!" she managed to say and she meant it.

"Spare it." he said shortly, "We would have had to go anyway. So better now than later." He didn`t know why he had just said this. Not him had spoken, but some other person inside his mind who had thought it out for him while he was trying to forget it all. He walked over to the fireplace. If he hesistated, he knew, it would take another couple of houres for him to get back where he just was. Hermione followed him shyly. They got into the livingroom. Hermione got ready. But all at once, doubts seemed to overtake her mind. She grabbed hold of Harrys sleeve and pulled him back, facing him.

"And if-you know- he doesn`t- or maybe he even isn`t"

"We have no time to think about that now." Harry coldly said, freeing himself from her grip and turned to the fireplace again. The red flames were dancing brightly, throwing shadows on the floor and the walls. He breathed in deeply. Finally, he scretched out his hand and passed the floopowder to Hermione.

"You first."

"M-me?" she stammered.

"Just go." he snapped.

"But if" She quavered. Suddendly, she didn`t want to get into Hogwarts, didn`t want to....

"But if this, but if that. I haven`t yelled at you like that, well, okay, I have yelled at you but I certainly haven`t called you arrogant or a coward or whatever. So if your mind is working you must have noticed I`m doing this just for you so get a move on." he said angrily. She looked angry too and a bit guilty, but she took a step forward, grabbed the floopowder and threw it into the flames which lit up emerald green at once. She stepped inside and said: "Hogwarts Castle."

At once, the flames swallowed her, turning back to orange the moment she was gone. Harry hesistated. To be honest, he was scared to go. But then rage lit up inside him like a tornado: he was going to show Snape who was the coward. He was going to get it back on him. He threw the powder in the flames, stepped inside and said: "Hogwarts Castle." The flames swallowed him, too.

He felt the familar feeling of being sucked up by a giant pipe. He saw fireplace after fireplace wizz past and now and then caught a glimpse of rooms of other wizards and witches. He kept spinning and spinning, feeling sicker with every move....

He fell headlong out of a fireplace and landed on the floor, on his elbow. Pain shot through his body like lightening and he let out a small gasp. He hated travelling by floopowder. He opened his eyes. Someone stood over him. A hand reached to the floor. Harry thankfully took it and felt himself being pult up. When he stood again, the room around him seemed to take shape again, but it still it was blurry and out of shape.

"Glasses?" A familar voice said and he saw something black being handed over to him.

"Oh, yeah" he said confused and put them on. Everything around him took shape again.

He saw Hermione standing infront of him. She looked a bit dusty, but quite allright and was smiling.

"They got broken, but I fixed them." she explained.

"Thanks." Harry muttered. He looked around. This wasn`t Hogwarts. The room seemed vaguely familar, but he couldn`t remember where he knew it from...

"Never seem te loose the habitat, Harry, don` ya?" a deep voice said laughing.

"HAGRID?" Harry shouted and spun his head right to see if he was right. The half giant stood near the fireplace, grinning, his beard seemed to be more bushier than usual. Now Harry noticed the room around him: It was Hagrids hut, warm and friendly, lit by a unmistakebly marked by the giant pots hanging from the ceiling, the roof seemed metres away and Fang, Hagrids dog, slobbered peacefully away in a corner.

"Hey!" Harry said happily, "What are you doing here?"

"Checkin` if any deatheaters wanna enter the castle." Hagrid answered, his grin becoming wider with every second. Harry was totally confused. What was he doing in Hagrids hut, when he was supposed to be in the castle? Had something gone wrong with the floonetwork? Hermione seemed be having the same thoughts, because she said: "Deatheaters? What Deatheaters?" Hagrid gestured them to sit down and they took they offer. When they had settled and he had offered them a giant tray of rock cakes, he said:

"Safety protections. Would be great if any deatheaters coud entr the castle any time `ey wanted, wouldn it? So with this network, anyone wanting te travel to Hogwarts is autematicly transportet inte here. Firs`, the charms were gonna te be settled at Rosmerta`s, but then I suggested we coud jus` do it a` my house, couldn`t we? Snape was makin` it fa te complicatet as usual!"

"Snape?" Harry asked harshly, "What`s he got to do with it?" Hagrid didn`t seem to understand:

"He`s the headmaster, Harry. `Cause he`s gotta care `bout the safety protections, someone has te."

"Still? He`s still headmaster?" Harry said angrily. All the rage came back.

"Of course he is." Hermione interjected, "Why shouldn`t he`?" She ignored Harrys look and turned back to Hagrid, who had sat down in a giant chair opposite her.

"But Hagrid!" she said in an alarmed voice, "That means DEATHEATERS can just walk in here?"

"I`ll knock `hem down when they come." Hagrid said comfortably, as if they wer talking about something totally stared at him. "What?" Hagrid said vexed, "Here take some of those cakes." "HAGRID!" she said shocked, "That is so dangerous!" "Oh come on!" Hagrid waved it aside, "I can handle `hem!" Not caring about Hermiones protest he turned to Harry: "So what are you two doin` here?"


	8. Confrontation

Hi! Here`s the next chapter. I will answer on all of your reviews in the next chapter, also those of the previous one. Right now I have just got time to upload, sorry.

Have fun and remember: reviews (good ones!) are always welcome.

"We are going to have a little talk with Snape." Harry said irritably,

putting special pronounciation on the world: "talk".

Hagrid was now the one to look confused: "Why?"

"Let it be up to us." Harry said, his voice hearably lengthened. Hagrid

frowned and turned to Hermione for help. She shrugged. They were

either doing this together or not at all. It wasn`t probably the best time

to tell the news to Hagrid.

"Then ya two better get goin`, it`s gettin` late." Hagrid suggested, now

seeing he wasn`t going to get anything out of Harry. They got up and

walked to the door.

"Bye, Hagrid. Thanks for the cakes." Hermione said.

"Yeah, thankyou." Harry agreed and smiled up at him. Hagrid smiled

back and said

:"You can come any time ya want, ya know?" "Sure."

Hermione said, but making a mental note to not touch any of those

rock cakes again. She wasn`t sure if all her teeth were still

waved goodbye and then made their way to the castle, dark against the

night sky, pompously strechted out and giantly high. Nobody said a

word as they heard the grass crunch under the feet. Hermiones heart

was beating as fast and as heavy as an orchestra and she wished to be

anywhere then here.

Harry didn`t feel any better as they made their way up the steep hill

and the castle came nearer. He saw the front door. Harry didn`t

understand. Why did this have to happen to him? Why? Hadn`t he

gone through enough stuff already in his life? And the question

coming up to both of them: Why Snape? Why?

Harry reached the front door and together he and Hermione stepped

through into the warmness of the entry hall. The illusion hit them both,

it was like being pult back again into times mere weeks ago: They

heard screams, blinding jets of light, cruel laughter... It took them

minutes to get back into the present. Still they had to master up all

their strength to get through the entry hall without collapsing.

Hermione was white in the face, Harry tried not to think about war at

all, otherwise he thought he might loose contiousness again. They got

through the empty castle without meeting anybody and they

descended into the dungeons. Here, the air was cold, damp and misty.

It was pitchdark and only lit by the torches on the wall. Harry thought

it was a terrible place to live. They got through the dungeon corridor

and came to a halt infront of a very familar door: "Severus Snape-

Headmaster Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"

"But whats he doing here?" Hermione whispered, "I thought he was

living in the headmasters office or at least on the first floor, you know,

sixth year, when he teached Defense against Dark Arts!" "Was

probably homesick." Harry sneered, " Couldn`t survive without his

favourite dungeons!" "Stop it!" Hermione said sternly, "Thats not a

time for jokes." Harry realized she was right. They both were quite hit

when they noticed that they were about to end their lives when

walking through this door. He knew he would faint any minute. He

started shaking. Then someone squeezed his arm.

It was Hermione. "Harry." She said reassuringly, "We`re in this

together. We`ll either manage together or we will fail, but we will stay

together, no matter what happens, o.k?" He felt better and nodded.

"Okay, Snape." He said quietly, "We`re coming." Then he opened the

door and they entered.

Snapes office hadn`t changed much: There were still the same slimy

creatures swimming in the glass jars on the shelves, darkening the

room more than it already was. They both looked up at the desk a few

metres infront of them. Snape was sitting there allright, his black,

greasy hair falling down infront of his face. When he noticed that

there were other people in the room, he looked up from his work. His

mouth twisted into an mean smile:

"Ever heard something of knocking, Potter?" he mocked. Harry felt

the rage building up inside him, how dare he...But Hermione

calmingly grabbed hold of his arm again and he managed to control

his temper.

"Surely not in any connection with your door, _Sir._" he said coldly.

Harry saw with pleasure that it did seem to annoy Snape and saw him

glaring at him from over his desk.

"No respect as always Potter, what a suprise. And what`s Granger

doing here?" he added, and Harry noticed that there was some

sharpness in his voice. Hermione seemed shocked to be suddendly

adressed, but soon restrained herself

"We`re here together." she said, trying to keep her voice steady and

not shaky, "Because theres something we need to talk about with

you." She finished, but she was now trembling, harder than Harry had

ever seen here before.

"And what would that be?" Snape asked, in his usual snide tone,

crossing his arms infront of his chest. Harry had the sudden urge to

fling something at him, hurt him, see, if he still was so unbothered.

But that wouldn`t be much use. He walked up to the desk until they

stood face to face, gathered up all his braveness and spoke quietly, but

every word was clear and echoing in the dungeon room. "Just think.

Maybe there is something, 17, 18 years ago you may forgot." Snape

stood up. Even though Harry had made a shot last year, he was still

taller than him.

"What the hell are you talking about, Potter?" he spat and Harry

noticed with even more pleasure there was a flicker of unsureness in

his eyes.

"You know what I`m talking about." Harry said, in a provoking tone,

"You just don`t want to admit..." He felt his robes. Inside his pockets

there were the gentests. If Snape needed proof Harry would

have it.

"Will you speak sense, Potter?" Snape said angrily, leaning forward,"I

will not spend the whole night trying to listen to your many

problems."

"Fine then." Harry spat back, "Yes, you maybe went through lots of

stuff those last years and you worked as a spy and you put yourself in

mortal danger, all to bring the dark side down and there was nothing

you couldn`t do, but abandoning your own children, when they were

just born, thats what you could do, Snape!"

"I haven`t even got children, Potter!" Snape shouted, he sounded

furious, "Will you tell me what this is all about?" Harry looked at the

dark man over him, saw the fury and the anguish written all over his

face.

"Fine." Harry said sharply and he pulled the gentests out of his robe

and banged them on the table infront of Snape, "Then explain this."

Snape threw Harry a last angry glare, then grabbed the tests and held

them up infront of his face. Harry saw his lips moving, reading the

lines. His heart was pounding harder than ever and when he turned

round he saw Hermione was digging her fingernails into her arm,

watching every movement of Snape, apparently as scared as he was.

Snape read and then suddendly, his lips stopped moving. He froze.

Harry saw all colour drain from his face and then, Harry couldn`t

believe it, he started to shake. When realizing the dread lines wouldn`t

change, wouldn`t change what had been truth for years,Snape layed

down the first and snatched the second gentest, his eyes rushing down

the lines. He saw his name written under Grangers. And above, he saw

her name. Her name. HER name. He shook his head. Thoughts were

spinning inside his head, scenes from times long ago flickered like a

movie infront of his eyes. He heard her voice. He saw her. Her face.

Her green eyes. He sank down in his chair and burried his face in his

hands. It was too much.

Harry gazed at Snape. Then he turned too Hermione who was

expressioning the same shock he felt. Whatever reaction, whatever

movement he had expected from Snape- it had not been this. He had

expected him to shout at him, to tell him if he thought it was funny

faking a gentest, he had expected him to throw him out of his office,

but he had not expected him to break down on his desk. As far as

Harry knew, Snape hadn`t shown any weakness in public before, but

now, when Harry wanted him to shout at him, to tell him he was

arrogant and impolite, but not too confirm his dreaded thoughts.

Hermione took a few steps forward and Harry saw the agony in her

face too, he knew at once she didn`t know whetever she should go and

talk to Snape or just leave him alone. Harry gestured her to do the

latter. She didn`t seem happy at all, but after all, she was unsure, too

too relieved when she wasn`t the one who had to make the decision.

Anger, range...it all infuritated inside Harrys stomach as he watched

the man at the desk. How dare he show weakness in such a moment?

How dare he! It was like Dumbledore, who had rested in that same

position after Harry had yelled at him, directly after Sirius death. He

felt the same pain and confusion like he had there and he wanted the

only other adult person in Hermione in the room to tell him it was

allright, and he shouldn`t worry or at least shout at him, but not this!

He was unable to hold himself back. He was too angry.

"And what NOW, Snape?" he shouted, "Finally admiting we are a

stupid louser, are we?" Snape still didn`t move. This infuritated Harry

even more: Do you know what I think of you? Nothing, you coward.

You don`t even care about your own children and you want us to

respect you? Oh, you`re so wrong!" He was working himself up, but it

felt good, finally, he could shout it all out, all, what had built itself up

slowly over 7 years, shout it all to the man whose fault it was that he

never had had parents..."AND YOU WERE SITTING HERE,

ENJOYING YOURSELF WHEN I WAS STUCK AT THE

DURSLEYS! WHY DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO GET

CHILDREN IF YOU NEVER WANTED THEM! YOU DAMN

IDIOT, YOU!"" "Shut up" Snape thundered. He had risen himself

from his desk again: "SHUT UP!" Like a deja-vu, Harry was

transformed back in time: He was Aunt Marge, telling that the

dursleys that bad blood always comes from the parents and Snape was

Harry, yelling at her to shut up...Snape looked outraged: "You never

take that tone infront of me, again, Potter, do you understand me!" he

bellowed. "I`ll take any tone infront of you I want!" Harry yelled back.

"How dare you..." Snape said in a threatening voice. "STOP!"

A high voice shouted from the corner.


	9. Crying

Aloha! Sorry- it took me so long to update this chapter, but I just didn`t find the time. But first of all, your reviews:

Minerdude: Merci!

You`re right! He has no idea- and Dumbledore- well, I would say- go on reading! Thanks for you review!

Dennisud: Hey thanks! Yes, I will go over the in the next time and check grammar and spelling.

They will not get together with many students, no, but they will have contact to the Weasleys.

To the pairing: Sorry, but the pairing has to stay Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny- it is very important for the rest of the story.

Thankyou for your review!

Puto: I looked up genetest in the search engine- but the results weren`t really close to my idea. But good point there, gene test is what I mean though. I leave it Gentest for the moment, changing the story title might be a bit confusing for others. Thanks for your review!

Readorforlife: Thankyou! 

Mad Hatter: Yes- I will look over the grammar, promised.

Sorry, but this is not a jumble of nonsense, there is an idea behind the whole story and people taking their time writing it- so actually this quite insulting.

If its confusing for you- don`t worry, it will become a bit clearer in the next chapters. Thanks for your review!

Readorforlife: Thanks! I like it, too- it`s dramatic!

Here is the next chapter. Please continue with your reviewing! It`s good to hear different opinions. But please be fair when you review.

Both of them whirled around. Hermione was standing at the back of the room, near a fireplace with a sofa infront of it. Harry had never noticed Snapes office was so large. Hermione looked scared and anguished, she was breathing fast, her chest heaving and sinking rather rapidly, but nevertheless angry:

"Will you two stop arguing!"

"Hermione, this is the man whose fault it is that you went through school tyranized in every potions lessons! It`s his fault we never grew up together, all his FAULT!" Harry said, aghast, in how little she understood the damage he had done to them.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" Snapes voice drowned them all, "They told me you were DEAD, how was I supposed to know!"

"How about finding out on your own!" Harry said sarcastically, "But of course, that must have been to much work for you brain!"

"YOU SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!" Snape barked, "Or you`ll be very sorry!" Reacting on instinct Harry drew his wand, Snape did the same. Harry heard Hermione gasping in the corner.

"You told me enough times to shut up! Now its time you shut up!" "YOU WILL"

"Oh, what will I?" Harry said arrogantly, " I HAVE TAKEN ORDERS FROM YOU LONG ENOUGH! I" Suddendly, his wand sored out of his hand. He didn`t realize what that meant until it hit him like a lightenign bolt. He made a grab for it, but it missed it. Shaking his head in angry disbelieve he looked up and saw what he expected to looked quite satisfied, stoving Harrys wand in his pockets and smiling evily. "Time you learnt unspoken spells potter. Nevertheless, what a tragedy" He said, with overacted pity in his voice, provokingly swishing his hand in Harrys direction. Harry could have attacked him, punched him, but he saw it was no use with out a wand.

"Not so brave anymore, are we, ." he said scornfully. Harry was cornered. There was nothing he could do. He had no wand and Hermione needed her own. He looked left. He looked right. He saw the door. "Run!" a voice told inside him.

"Coward!" another voice said. Harry was felt himself being overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. Anger, stubborness...it all mixed up leaving nothing but a sudden urge to run.

"You`ll regret this!" he hissed in Snapes direction, then made a gash for the door, slamming it behind him.

Snape didn`t know whatever to run after him or just let him run out of the castle if he wanted, after all it was not his decision. He was thinking hard what to do now when he heard a supressed sob and then Granger broke down on the sofa. He was stunned for a moment. He saw her pulling her legs up, wrapping her arms around them, then he resting her head on her knees and starting to shake with sobs, coming faster and faster until her body trembled completely, now letting out what she had supressed for a week. He had no idea what to do. He could just leave her there, let her cry, and not care about it anymore.

But he noticed that he couldn`t. He didn`t now why. Was he in charge of Granger? He looked at her again. She had the same brown, long hair as she had had. Why had he never noticed? Because...maybe because her eyes didn`t fit in with hers, her had been green, like Potters, hers brown...darker....like his.

It hit him what he had just been thinking. He was not going to look for any similarities between them, no way.

The shock was still too enourmous, lasting on his stomach like an heavy weight he couldn`t put off. He turned away from Granger, staring at the dark heard her crying, heard the hopelessness, the dread out of her sobs and then he couldn`t hold himself back any longer. He walked across the room, directly, without hesistating. He didn`t now if he was quite himself at the moment as he came to a halt few metres infront of the sofa. She didn`t even look up as he aproached her, but carried on crying, now burrying her fingers in her hair. He didn`t know whetever he should just order her to stop crying. It didn`t seem the right thing to do. He sighed and then he sank himself on the sofa beside her, feeling his pulse racing. He hadn`t often comforted someone before. And that was mostly with people he knew, well, better than her. And not in such a grave situation. What was he supposed to say now? He doubted that the usual things would work at all. He reached out and begann gently rubbing across her back. He didn`t know why he did it. It was just an intention. She jumped up and looked in his face, terrified with shock of what he was doing, traces of tears streaked over her face, illuminated by the light the fireplace cast next to her. He rolled his eyes. Was he really that frightening? But if she at least stopped crying, he would be able to... well,talk to her. He looked at her in expectation. But after a while of staring she just burried her face in her hands again and sobbed, her body rocking forwards and backwards and trembling. He touched her back and as she didn`t jump, resumed in stroking over it. Minutes past. She was still crying, but it had become less heavier, less dreadful than it had , he had started saying useless encouring things in a low voice to her, those things you said to people which had a breakdown. Again, he doubted that would work with her but supringsly it did.

"Its not the end of the world, Granger" he sighed as her sobbing went quieter. It was obviously the wrong thing to say as suddendly she burst into a fresh spring of tears, crying harder than before.

It was after that she calmed down. Slowly, but definetly her sobs became quieter and quieter, her body less trembling. He still went on rubbing her back, it made him feel like he could do something, help her someway. More minutes past and she was just hickupping, finally, she stopped. She didn`t look up at him but stared at the ceiling, leaning back on the sofa. He didn`t say anything but watched her. Then she turned to him.

They looked at each other for a while, simply staring at each other, wondering what the other person was thinking at that some minutes, Granger blushed and turned her eyes to the floor. She didn`t look like she was going to talk or say anything. He reached out and handed her a pack of tissues. She saw what he was holding and blushed even more, then thankfully took them. More minutes of silence passed. He was about to get some essays from Slughorns class which needed correction when a shaky voice spoke:

"Why-why did you never tell us?" It was barebly heard over the cracking of the fire. He turned around and saw Grangers eyes resting on him. She looked like she did want to know the answer, but some piece of her didn`t want to know. He was tackled, but tried to keep a straight cace. What could he say? The truth? So she`d be disappointed? Or lie? So she`d be even more disappointed if she ever found out? Surely Potter would want to know to. He decided he was going to explain it when they were togetheter. He couldn`t risk Potter getting into another rage again. He took a deep breath and then said:

"Granger, I didn`t know. I really didn`t know."

"What didn`t you" she said in despair, but he cut across her:

" No. Not now.I will tell you tomorrow."

He got up,thinking the topic was done with that, but of course Granger couldn`t put off her annoying habitats. "I need to know!" she said unirritatibly, like in a lesson, when there was a difficult potion she didn`t understand. "I want to know. Now. Please." He slowly turned to her and she backened away at his glare.

"Granger" he said in his usual snide vtone, "I know your nauseating habitat wanting to know everything having to do with you or not. I am not going to help you with it at the moment. I said I would tell you tomorrow, isn`t that enough to satisfy your sickening urge of knowledge?" She looked like she was going to burst into tears again, but holding herself back with all her power she stammered: "Yes-yes, Sir." "Fine." he said chilly and turned away from her again. He had seen her reaction and wondered if he had actually been to harsh. But Granger knew him, she knew him that way so why did she expect him.

to act differently? In his mind,he knew very well why but was not going to let any of these thoughts enter it. He heard some rummaging and then Granger stood up from the spot where she had been sitting, still shaky, her beaded bag hanging from her arm and made her way to the door. Just as she had reached it and was about to get outside, a sharp voice tore her back: "Where are you going."

She froze. What had she done wrong know?

"I-it was a stupid idea anyway to come her." She hastily began to explain, "I-I`m s-sorry and it wont h-happen again." She kept tripping over words, practically stuttering them ."So I am just g-going to find H-Harry"

"I think you should better go to bed now." he said sternly, "After you had a nervous breakdown you ought to rest, Granger, although I know that such a thing doesn`t exist in your heard that word before?" She knew he was teasing her, but couldn`t help anger boiling up inside her.

"First." she said irritatibly, raising her eyebrows and facing him "I didn`t have a nervous breakdown as you call it and second: yes, I have heard of that word before but I think it is up to me when I want to rest and when not.

"And third- you`re the right one to tell me that, rest, sure, as if you practice a lot of it." Her voice raised with every word she spoke. Snape didn`t respond anything. She thought she would feel great, she had got herself back at him and he didn`t know anything to say against it, but she felt empty and weak and really wished for a bed where she could sleep right this moment. She turned back to the door, giving herself a push to get out. She first needed to find Harry and then…

"GRANGER!" someone bellowed behind her, "Where are you going. Answer me!" She closed her eyes and turned around again, opening them again and mentally praying that he would just let her go. She would have loved to get into a smashing argument with him, but she didn`t have the power. Why couldn`t he just leave her alone? She couldn`t stand it any longer. She thought of the way he had comforted her just minutes ago and then she thought of how he had been acting after and a cold feeling took control of her stomach. How was she ever going to know him if he kept changing his moods? Snape stood in the firelight, throwing his shadow on the walls, his eyes fixed on her and she knew there were not going to move.

"I`ll find Harry." She began to explain and couldn`t resist her voice from sounding tired and pleading, "Then we´ll go home to London and get"

"You`re not going anywhere."


	10. A very mental idea

Hey! Heres the next chapter. Hope to get more reviews on this one! Really people: Just click the box at the bottom of the chapter where is says: REVIEW. Then you can easily review!

Well, therefore thankyou to Readerforlife: Your reviews keep me up!

But new chapter, new chance: What do you think about it?

And YES, Sorry about the spelling or anything again, I will check it in the next weeks, I`m just too lazy. 

." She froze again and looked at him, totally confused. Was it Snape who had just said: "You are not going anywhere?"

"What do you mean I`m not going anywhere?" she asked, frowning. "I said you should got to bed." He said insitingly and couldn`t help adding: "That's an order Granger. But I know rules don`t count for you and Potter." She resist herself from trying to figure out how many insults had actually been in this sentence and patiently began to explain: "Yes, I am taking your order. But to get to bed I need to get back to London." "I am not letting you go anywhere in such a state." he said and he meant looked awful. Her eyes were red and swollen, her skin white, her face wet and she standing so unsteady he thought she was likely to fall over any second. "Where else do you suppose me to sleep?" she asked, nearly shouted. The next thing that came she hadn`t been expecting.

"You can sleep here." Snape answered, as if it was all said with that.

"HERE?" she yelled in shock. He might have as well suggested her to sleep on the astronomy tower.

"Yes, here." he said in an ironic tone like he was telling her about the most dangerous place of the world.

"Come on, Granger." He sighed, annoyed, as she was still standing there, petrified.

"B-but what about H-Harry" she stammered.

"Don`t worry about that at the moment." he pushed it aside as if it was the most unimportant thing in the world, "Please just _get into bed_." She was thinking about something to say against it, it just wasn`t possible for her, sleeping in Snapes apartment, was like Grawp deciding to dance ballet in a tutu. But her brain wasn`t working, she felt exhausted and therefore she shrugged and followed him. He guided her through a door at the back of his office, which came out in a stone hallway with many doors all along one passage wall, each a few metres apart from each other. He pointed to one of them: "That's the bathroom, I think you will require it. Anything you need is inside, I`ll just wait for you here." And before she could reject anything, she found herself in a bathroom with beige tile walls, and a beige floor with a white rug.

The bathroom was quite big, it had a bathtube on her left side, a basin infront of her and a toilet at the back. She would have never thought Snape did even have a bathroom, but this one looked clean and inviting. She approached the washing basin. There was a cupboard above it with a mirror. She opened it and found a toothbrush and toothpaste inside. Still thinking she was being mental, she took them out and started to brush her teeth. Well she had gotten what she wanted, didn`t she? She had talked to her supposed father and she took it as a good sign he had let her stay. If he didn`t care, he would have thrown her out at once, she was sure.

After having checked her face in the mirror she used a cleaning charm and soon looked like a normal person again. She dared to use the toilet, which was another near to suicidal thing in her eyes, but when it didn`t attack her, she was sure the bathroom was luckily quite normal. After half an hour, she went out of it and nearly ran into Snape, who was standing next to the door, arms crossed infront of his chest and waiting. She was surprised, had he really waited half an hour infront of this bathroom?

He must have, because he said sarcastically: "Been taking you quite a while, didn`t it, Granger?"

"Obivously." she said unbothered. Maybe just not really going into his insults did seem to do the job, because after having examined her face for any sign of emotion, he continued walking past one door further left in the corridor and they entered the door on its left side. She was standing in a room with a single bed on his left side, a nightstand, a wardrobe, a woodenfloor, white tapestry and some more items.

"This is the guestroom." Snape interdrouced it,

"You two could sleep her for the night."

"TWO?" she said aghasted, "Theres just one bed. And the shops are closed..." She began hastily looking around the room, maybe they could transport the sofa or anything…

Snape smirked: "I was expecting such a comment at the least from you, Granger. Are you a witch or not?"

"Oh, yeah" She stammered. Snape rolled his eyes again and waved his wand in an octangular pattern. A bed formed infront of him. He added a nightstand and a lamp and then, still smirking, faced Hermione again: "Really Granger…_the shops are closed_."

She blushed and felt like a first-year student again, who had been to stupid to just do a firecharm but had instead insisted that she couldn`t do anything because there was no wood. She made her way to the bed and sat upon it, watching Snape.

"Here." He threw her a pair of pjamas he had conjured out of thin air.

Hermione catched them and quietly groaned. They were green and silver, Slytherin colours.

"Don`t they fit your expactations?" he asked daringly. She answered through clenched teeth:

"I could have done that on my own."

"In your recent state be happy that you`re still standing." he coldly responded.

In Regardness of her privacy, he added:

"I`ll be back in 5 Minutes."

The second he had left the room, Hermione threw herself onto the pillow until she saw nothing but darkness and heard her own breath going sharply. Shit. What was she doing here? Was she totally mental? But after a while, she sat up and slowly started changing into her pjamas, pulled the covers back and got into bed. She ordered: "Nox." And the main light went off. She switched on her nighlamp, and, arms crossed behind her head and regretting her whole stupid life, she lay back onto the pillow, thinking.

She didn`t have to wait long. Barely a minute later, her door opened and Snape swept in. He stopped when he saw her. For some reason, he couldn`t, just couldn`t go any further.

"Granger." He said, a little unsteadily, as he angrily noticed,

"Are you better now?"

"Well,yes." She answered, nervousness hearable in her voice.

"Do you require anything? To your information, I have most potions down here ." He thought it was necessary to ask this, but it seemed to scare Granger even more.

"No, Sir." She barely whispered. Again, all her power was gone, just erupting in a little, short explosions now and then, but she already felt sleep drowning her.

"Then until tomorrow." he answered and his voice didn`t reveal a single part of what was going on inside him, but sounded unbothered.

He had his fingers on the handle, when he heard a voice behind him: "S-Sir?"

"Yes?" he answered, slowly turning around and surprise, surprise, seing Granger had sat up in bed and was now watching him with rising nervousness, but there was an eagerness in her eyes he had so often watched in lessons.

"I know you said you`re going to tell us later, but…please, I don`t know what she was like at all. Can you tell me one thing about my mother? One? It doesn`t have to be great, but" she quickly looked away, too afraid to see his reaction to her question and regretting she had even asked it.

When she turned back again, Snape had turned away from her again. Although being relieved, she bit her lip. She needed to know how her mother was, she knew nothing about her, absolutely nothing, just her name… She jumped when Snape did answer.

"Your mother" he said, knowing Granger was taking in every word and then in a dishonouring tone said

"Was lousy at potions. Good night, Granger." He swept out of the room, leaving a stunned Hermione behind. He marched along the corridor back into his office and started feverishly searching in his drawers.

"And now." he thought angrily,

"All I`ve got to do is find that blasted brat of your brother."

After a few minutes of searching, going through various items he had ever confiscated from students or lost, he quite pleased with himself held the object of his search in his hand. The Maurauders Map. Lily, being the best student in their year, had mangaged to get an amazingly similar copy for the Marauders now, he possessed the same item as they did and he thought he`d be able to catch them and get himself back on James.

This hadn`t always worked and brought them both in more trouble than he and Lily had already had (with a twitching feeling in his stomach he remembered Potter being a determined rulebreaker) and tried to distract himself by checking the Map. He had sent all the teachers home as soon as he had recovered from , giving them and their families time to rest after war. He knew Hagrid was going to visit Grawp soon, who had found a nice girlfriend somewhere in the mountains (he was glad he wouldn`t have to be on the watchout for a 5 m tall giant anymore whenever he walked in the forbidden forest, which was mollifying.) and he would be off soon too.

He examined the the ghosts he couldn`t see anyone on the map. He just hoped Potter hadn`t been foolish enough to travel without his wand. He looked at the moving dots more closely and then saw Potter in the 7th Floor- Gryffindor Common Room. He wondered if he should go and get him or just leave him there. He decided in just leaving him there. After all, it was not his business.

Harry ran along the corridor to get as far away from the dungeons as possible. With every steps which halled in the dungeon walls, with every breath he took everything seemed to become more realistic until he could have screamed. But he didn`t. He raced up the stairs blindly, not knowing which direction he took, but that he got away… He ran up flights of stairs and more flights up stairs...every step felt oddly satisfying by now, it was another centimetres another space between him- and what hell was probably like. All at once, he had reached a floor where there were no steps going down.

He looked up and something like joy swept through him. The Portrait of the Fat Lady hung infront of him, guiding the entrance to the Gryffindor Common room.

"Password?" she asked in ordinary manner. "Umm." Harry said.

"Just joking, dear. Come in, come in."

she said friendlyand swung aside. He climbed through the hole into a circular room with warm, merrily dancing fire and cuddly red armchairs. Gryffindor banners hung from everywhere. He sat down in his favourite armchair near the fire and thought. What should he do now?


	11. What I think of you

I know it`s been another long time since I updated, but I`ll improove in the holidays. But first thing: You`re amazing! 6 Reviews for one chapter! A big thankyou to all of the people who reviewed! =)

And now TO your reviews:

Right, I`m not an expert at grammar. But I`m now changing the chapters layout to make it more readable. Problem is, how can I go over a chapter I´ve already posted again without deleting it or its reviews? Anyone knows? Would be great if you could help me.

Your reviews:

spacecatdet: Two reviews, that`s great. I could slap myself for the "relieving" thing, you`re totally right. But I think you understood what I meant. I`m not doing slavery, but I really have no experience with Beta Readers, and for now I want to go without on.

But I`m trying to improve my grammar now. So, maybe could help me with that, too: Do you have any idea how to change (fix, go over) a chapter that I already posted online? Otherwise, thanks for your reviews. 

Allen Pit:Good thoughts. But first he has to actually get to Ollivanders, which is probably closed at that time. Without a wand there is no real way. Snape has sort of rights for taking it, it will be explained in this chapter. And about the Potters vault, there is something coming with that too....Thanks for your review and keep on reviewing! =)

Readerforlife: Thx for your review. Glad you liked it.

I thought it would be funny bringing up the thing from first year again. Snape being just himself.

But poor Hermione! =)

MrsBlackWifey: Doesn`t matter. You can start reviewing from now on and tell me your opinion. Hope you`ll enjoy the next chapters as well. Thanks for your review! =)

CatWriter: Thanks for your review! =) I changed the size of the paragraphs in the last chapters, and I am now giving each speaker his own paragrah. I am going to change the title now, since I had so many reviews on it and go over the chapters. Look at 1., maybe you could help me with that? Still, good you liked the idea.

To all of you: Keep on reviewing!

Have fun!

He knew apparating was useless, because he didn`t have a wand and you couldn`t apparate on Hogwarts Grounds ? Again, he didn`t have a wand. So useless as well. Rage exploded inside him. And why didn`t he have a wand? Because of Snape, the snake! Only the name caused anger sweep through his body. But still, he needed to get back. Someway.

It was midnight when he heard a sound at the door. He was marking the essays, noticing with rising discontent his class taught by Slughorn was far too behind. He thought about teaching Potions again instead of Defense Against The Dark Arts when suddenly the door creaked.

A person came inside and closed the door behind him. He didn`t even need to look up to know it was Potter. He went on scribbling little notes at the end of each parchment, telling the students his opinion, which wasn`t always pleasant. Finally, as the person hadn`t moved he slowly looked up, pretending to just have recognised someone was there now.

Potter had his hands in his pockets and was leaning against the dungeon wall. He was obiviously not going to move, but glared at Snape. He didn`t even ask where he had been, because he knew anyway."Potter." he said mockingly "What an honour to see you here again."

Harry got out of his position and walked straight up to the desk, barely halteing infront of it. He looked like he could have slid through it and wouldn`t have cared.

"So- what do you want?"

"You know bloody well what I want." Harry spat.

"Language, Potter. If you would dispense on using the word "bloody" in my house, I would be grateful."

"I`ll use any word I want." He said and there was a dangerous flickers in his eyes.

"Not in my house." Snape said blankly.

"You call that." Harry examined the room with a look full of snide and pity, "A house?"

"Are you trying to affront me, Potter?" he said, his voice a little faster than it was meant to be.

"Who cares?" Harry said trying to sound relaxed, "You don`t care about your family, either, don`t you"

"As I said I didn`t KNOW!" bellowed Snape, rising from his desk again.

"Oh, you didn`t know!" Harry gave a bitter, merciless laugh, "It was all my mothers fault, then, of course."

"Don`t you dare to speak to me like that!"

"WELL, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BE GLAD? THAT YOU´RE MY" he seemed unable to say the word, "SHOULD I BE HAPPY? AFTER YOU BULLYING ME EVERY LESSON INFRONT OF HALF OUR YEAR, SUPPORTING MALFOY WHEN THE FERRET WAS PLAYING ONE OF HIS LITTLE GAMES AGAIN, WHAT ABOUT THAT COMMENT IN FOURTH YEAR YOU SAID TO HERMIONE WHEN SHE HAD THOSE GIANT TEETH: "I see no difference?"

The atmosphere between them was loaded with electricity and they were both boiling with fury. Snape looked outraged, Hary livid. " YOU WERE AWFUL TO HER, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS YOUR BEST STUDENT, SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER TRUSTED YOU, THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER SUPPORTED YOU!"

He breathed in rapidly, getting ready for the next yelling:"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK?" he shouted, "I THINK YOU´RE A WORTHLESS DEATHEATER WHO DOESN´T DESERVE SUCH A BRILLIANT DAUGHTER AND I´D LIKE TO VOMIT BECAUSE I´M SUPPOSED TO BE RELATED TO YOU!"

"Finished?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.

Harry was trembling with anger, he wanted to yell, to duel him, to tell him his opinion, but somehow he had all said it, there was no more at the moment.

Besides, he felt exhausted and tired.

"Give me my wand." he ordered..

"I´ll give it back to you when I can trust you to do nothing foolish with it."Snape answered.

Harry stared at him open-mouthed. He could insult him or bully him, but he had no right, absolutely no right to take his wand.

"You give it back to me!" He said shocked.

"Certainly not tonight." Snape said calmly and turned back to his issues.

Harry shook his head in disbelief. Surely the old bat didn`t dare to…

"ACCIO!" he yelled. Nothing happened.

"Why?" Harry said, now clearly panicking. Why wasn`t this working? Snape suppressed a mean smile. Potter did need to open a book emergently.

He walked over to him, taking his time, enjoying to see him panick. "Why doesn`t it work?" Harry said, still shocked, now looking up at Snape, "I`m off age, it has to work"

"Just what I thought." Snape said mystically, making Harry listen. "What? What did you think?"

He blurted it out in a rush. Snape couldn´t suppress a smirk this time. "Time you read Magical Law, Potter."

"What-what do you mean magical law?" Harry asked, but he had a dark promotion what.

"Your mother was muggleborn, I am halfblood, that means you are ¾ Muggle." For one moment, it hit them both again. Your mother…Snape never thought he`d ever say this sentence to any student. Especially not Potter.

Harry thought hard. Something was wrong with that. ¾ muggle.

"No!" he said loudly, "I am a wizard. I am halfblood which means ½ muggle."

Snape shook his head. "This is first year knowledge, Potter. Halfblood, muggleborn and Pureblood are common phrases, yes, but you can be more precise. My father" He had a hollow feeling after having said this, but quickly went on, hoping Pottter hadn`t noticed it, "Was a muggle, my mother a witch. Your mothers parents were both muggles. That, if you have the rare ability to think, Pottter, means you are ¾ muggle with magical ability."

"With_ what_?" Harry said, now clearly confused.

Snape rolled his eyes. Potter strongly reminded him of Ronald Weasley,who was, even though he had to admit he was a prefect, a right dunderhead.

Still, he sort of owed Potter an explanation.

"In relations witches or wizards are defined as people with magical ability. A squib would be a witch without magical ability, Mister Dean Thomas for example a muggle with magical ability. You ought to know that, Potter." he explained.

Harry ignored the last remark, but instead asked: "´But what has that got to do with my wand?"

"As I already said, you are nearly 4/4 muggle." he went on patiently, "Which means you are bound to the law that you receive all your full authority rights when you`re 18."

"18?" Harry yelled, "Wait, that can`t be!"

"It can." Snape responded. It was like a fist had punched Harry in the stomach. No- this couldn`t be, that was going too far...

"That means you can still- take things away from me and stuff?" he asked furiously, although he already knew the answer.

"100 points for the genious combitinational ability, Potter." Snape said bored, "Yes, of course it does."

"Take it off!" Harry ordered hotly.

"I-can-not-take-it-off, o.k?" Snape said like he was talking to a stupid person, "You can compare it with the law for underage wizards to use magic, it`s there as long as you`re underage..

" "But why?" Harry asked.

Snape let out a very heavy sigh. "Originally it was created to allow muggle families to have more acendancy in the education of their children if these were wizards. 18 is the time when muggles are full age.

But if they are witch or wizard they`ll be able to use magic with 17 and will not let themselves be ordered around by their parents because unfortunately they can`t use magic. The law gives muggle parents the right to full authority over the children until they are 18, that`s when the charm wears off.

But you`re still 17, so- bad luck, Potter."

"Do you mean" Harry said slowly, the idea now coming scaringly real, "I can`t really use magic against you?"

"You could." Snape said and smirked, "But it wouldn`t work if I`d concentrate against it."

Harry, now shaking with rage, sank on the sofa. None of them spoke. Snape was enjoying in once seeing Harry Potter, the boy who lived, helpless. After a few minutes, the latter raised his head: "Wheres Hermione, by the way?"

"Miss Granger has gone to bed." Snape answered, "Which I would recommend you, too."

"Here?" Harry said sarcastically. "But-but I thought we were going back to London." "Miss Granger thought that too." Snape said silkily, "Until I told her I wouldn`t let her out in such a state she became sensible." "In what state?" Harry asked. "She would call it crying, I would call it a nervous breakdown, something she has been holding back for a time. I think it just was too much today."

"Hermione actually cried

?" he asked even more shocked and felt a bit guilty. "Girls tend to do that." Snape said. (Sorry-but in loads of studies it has been prooved that girls in general cry more than men. But not all girls.)

"Well, I`m going." Harry said clearly and made his way to the door. It wouldn`t open.

"Let me out." Harry said quietly.

"Not tonight." Snape repeated for the second time. Why was he doing this anyway? What use would it be for him if they slept here? He just wanted to talk to them straightaway, first thing tomorrow and he doubted Potter would come, especially now that he knew about the underage magic law.

"Potter, once in your lifetime, think" He said, unable to avoid the insult, "It`s 1 o`clock, Londons full of drunks and criminals, and I do think Hagrid will get suspicious why Hermione isn`t coming back with you."

"You can`t keep me prison!" Harry said in a tone like he couldn`t quite belive it..

"If you call this a prison- yes, I think I could." Snape said snidely. " "What do you expect me to do then?" Hary roared.

"For heavens sake, Potter, just GET INTO BED." He didn`t know why he had shouted this. He just didn`t think he could stand it any longer.

"I`m not 5!" Harry said indignantly.

"But you`re acting like you are!" Snape yelled.

"Fine." Harry said angrily,

"Go on insulting me."

"You`re taking everything personal, don`t you." Snape said quietly. "If you think it was my idea to come here, you`re so wrong. It was all Hermiones idea, I don`t care a shit about you if you want to know." Harry shouted.

"Don`t work yourself up." Snape snapped and grabbed him by the arm. "What are you doing?" Harry said aghast when he was dragged along the halfway. He struggled, but noticed with growing misery he wasn`t strong enough.

Snape didn`t answer as he passed door after door and shoved Harry inside a room he could barely make out in the darkness.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

And? What do you think???


	12. Nightmares

Hi there!

Yes, me and uploading. But before I`m go on vacation, I thought I`d post the next chapter so you`ve got something to read. I`ll be back middle of August with new chapters.

Thanks for your reviews again!

Allen Pit: First I wasn`t sure what you meant but I think you misunderstood the cliffhanger. Well, okay, you can`t really "misunderstand" a cliffhanger, but don`t know worry, if I`m going to use any corporal punishment in this story it is going to be very, very rare.

Hermione will accept the fact much sooner then Harry,seeing that she has less hatred against Snape and was always a bit more sensible.

One thing SPOILER that I can already tell you that Snape and Harry will have trouble getting along at first, but he`s not going to treat him like the Dursleys did, not his son, even though they weren`t really "friendly" towards each other those years.

But this will take time. Four whole weeks...

Thanks for your review!  (This is supposed to be a smiley- I know)

Captain Shoulah: I`m really not against critics, when they keep in a certain area. But it seems to me that you are really critisizing every single part of the story, from which I can conclude that you simply don`t like it. That`s your opinion of course, but then just a question:

Why do you bother reading it anyway when it seems so bad to you?

There is an archive full of other stories that more in your interests than this one. About Purebloods, because I caught the word: None of them is pureblood. The ones boasting with their blood status are people like Draco Malfoy, but Snape, Hermione and Harry are all Half-Blood. The Blood thing was there to explain why Harry couldn`t gain control over his wand, that`s all.

This is not meant as an insult.

I`m sorry if I couldn`t satisfy you with this story, but that`s not my problem. My advice would be: Read another story and review that one.

Readerforlife: Yes, I`m sure he would be if he ever looked at this scene in the pensieve later on. But at that moment, hes just full of anger and hatred. And Snapes not being tolerative, either.

Thanks for your review! 

All of you: Keep on Reading and Reviewing!

I know Snape seemed really unfair to Harry in the last chapter, but that was just one of their usual arguments...

And I`m now seriously thinking about getting a Beta Reader.

Next chapter where Hermione tells her opinion of the whole thing....

"Before I loose my patience." Snape said through clenched teeth, "Here is the guestroom, there is a bed you can sleep on for tonight." Harry was too stunned to see Snape had actually told the truth that

he couldn`t say anything.

He went over to the direction Snape was pointing and soon could make out a bed he sat himself upon.

"There." Snape said, handing him a pair of pjamas, "I hope they suit your standards."

Harry had to pull himself together to suppress a very, very grave insult and began changing himself.

When he was finished he pulled the covers back, went inside the bed and rested his head on a pillow. He waited for Snape to say anything and turned towards the wall.

Snape hesistated on the edge of speech, opened his mouth but he couldn`t find the right words. He threw Potter another glance to see if he was okay- well, as okay as you could be after something like that- and went out of the room.

Harry heard the door being shut and with rising dread noticed Ron had been right: Snape would never change.

Hermione woke up in the middle of the night. She had just been sleeping when she sat herself up, startled. The bed slightly creaked when she lifted herself up, and like a punch in the stomach she noticed where she was- and then, why.

Trying to get rid of these thoughts, she concentrated on why she had woken up. It came to her again, because she heard it clearly now- a noise. All the hair on her arms seemed to stand up, and her fingers felt on the nighttable beside her and clung around her wand tightly.

She listened.

It wasn`t a creak or a cat or anything, it was- she listened closer- a humans voice. A humans voice. More shock drifted in electric waves and her heart stood still. "Snape?" she whispered. No answer. The pitch black darkness surrounding here seemed giant, swallowing and she felt the fear taking over her mind.

Be sensible! she thought, You have faced much worse than this, you have fought against Deatheaters, you can`t be scared of some stupid noise!

She took a deep breath and switched on her nightlamp, ready to see some monster or another frightening creature hovering over her. She let out a relieved sigh. There was no monster, there was no one, but the human voice seemed get louder. She catched a few phrases:

"No-didn`t kill you- No, please, it`s not my fault, Mum, no, Fred, no, no please"

She jumped out of bed and raced to the other bed in the room, a few meteres apart from her.

"Oh, no." she whispered.

Harry was sleeping, but a very anxious sleep, tossing and turning from one side to the next. He kept muttering and sometimes shouting out things, chopped phrases which made no sense. Hermione kneeled beside him, hastily looking around for anything she could do. "Give me my wand." Harry was saying,

"Give it you coward- no, not Ron, leave Ron alone, Sirius, SIRIUS!" He had risen himself a bit and then collapsed again. He was drenched with sweat and tears were spurting down his cheeks.

"AQUA!" Hermione yelled, pointing her wand at a glass she had conjured. Water spouted into it, splattering on the glass walls. She put the glass on Harrys nightstand and started shaking him.

"Wake up, its just a dream, Harry!" He went on tossing himself around, worser than before, still talking in a dream. "YOU LET GO OF HER! HERMIONE!" "Harry, HARRY!" She was now shouting, like him, but he didn`t seem to listen or take in any of the words. Don`t panick! she told herself. She tried to think of the waking charm in her charms book, but she couldn`t remember how it went. She started shaking Harry harder now, harder, harder, but his nightmare seemed to get worse with every shake, not better. "Harry, please." She whined. She had no idea what to do.

He was sitting in his office, buried over some newly released discouverties on some potions, unable to believe the amount of mistakes the writers had made. He underlined them and marked a little correction note on the side.

Heavens sake. Even Longbottom was better than that! He imagined having to teach those who called themselves Professors but didn`t know how to differ a Bezoar from an Defraxlon and shuddered.

Some people shouldn`t be allowed near a cauldron! He swallowed. Some people. Like the girl he had fallen in love with, even though she was a disaster in potions, even though they had hated, detested each other. Still, in the end, he would have given his life for her.

And she had lied.

Fury exploded inside him like volcano. She had hidden it from him, had hidden it all those-

"Professor?"

A voice said in a whisper. Granger was standing in his doorway in the slytherin night-dress he had given her, looking worried and uncomfortable.

"Granger!" he addressed her sternly, "What are you doing here?"

She bit her lip and he know she was thinking if it had really been the right idea to ask him for whatever she wanted.

"There something wrong with Harry." she said, unable to hide the worry in her voice.

"What`s wrong with Potter?" he said sharply, standing up from his desk and as she didn`t respond, added with more intonation, "Granger, what is wrong?"

She trembled a little, but then said:"I think he`s got a nightmare- and I tried to wake him up, but it`s like the time when he had the connection between him and you-know-who and I"

She broke up because he pushed past her without another word. Still hoping Harry hadn`t woken up or anything in the meantime, and blaming herself for her stupid ideas she ran after him.

She was glad after all she had gotten Snape. Harrys nightmare had gotten even worse. Snape was now beside him. "Potter!" he called loudly, shaking him so firmly she sucked in her breath.

"Wake up!"

It didn`t work. Snape tried again, and a few more times, but it was useless. Hermione stood in the doorway again, feeling terrible because she couldn`t do anything but stand there and gape.

"Granger!" She jumped. Snape had turned towards her. "Yes?" she said breathlessly.

"I trust you. Go into my office, get dreamless sleep and calming potion and come back."

"Okay." She whispered, but didn`t move.

"NOW!"

She ran out of the room, along the hallway and skidded to a halt infront of the office door.

"Alohomora!" she said and the door unlocked itself. She dashed inside and began feverishly searching through the glass jars. Seeing this was no use with thousands of them, she yelled: "Accio Dreamless Sleep!" A small bottle with golden liquid zoomed out of the shelves and she caught it.

"Accio Calming Potion!"

A bulky bottle stirred and then flew towards her. She caught it in her other hand and then ran back out of the office, locking the door behind her, back along the hallway into the guestroom- "Here!"

she panted, coming to a halt infront of Snape and passing him the bottles.

"Thanks, Granger." he said and she felt her insides warm up a little. A thanks from Snape was something like an eight world wonder. Forcing Harry too stay still by holding his arms to one side, he poured both liquids into his open mouth. Harry, struggled, sobbed, twitched and Hermione hoped she hadn`t gotten the wrong potion, if this had been venom- you never knew in Snapes office-

She kneeled down beside Harry again, closing her eyes and muttering petitions to heaven. "Granger?" Someone shook her lightly. She opened her eyes again. It was Snape. His face was disguised by the darkness, but she could have sworn it was pale- with worry?. .

"He`s sleeping."

She felt a heavy stone holler down her heart as she saw Harry was sleeping, still shaking a little, but nevertheless sleeping. She stood up again, not knowing what to do. A rather unpleasant silence issued between both of them.

"Coffee?" Snape asked. She nodded, her eyes still kept to the floor. She followed him to room and she her mouth opened in surprise when she saw what it was. A dining room with a kitchen in one corner.

"Don`t gape, Granger." he snapped, "It`s not luxury."

It certainly wasn`t. The chair Hermione sat herself upon looked old and unsteady, but still the whole room gave quite a pleasant image. She didn`t know how many suprises she would get today.

"Black?" she heard Snape ask.

"Yes, please." she heard herself answer. A few minutes passed. She stared at the table, her hand supporting her face, as if she had to learn the colour by heart. She twitched when a white cup was placed infront of her and Snape sat down opposite her. They drank in silence, each shooting a look at the opposite when he thought he wasn`t looking.

"You won`t be able to sleep after this, Granger." Snape suddenly said.

"I won`t be able to sleep anyway." she retorted.

"Granger?"

"Yes?"

"What is your protection password for your apartment?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"In an emgergency or something…" She scribbled it down for him. He read it and then set it to flames. Silence.

"Well, Potter`s making a show as usual." Snape snarled.

"A show?" she asked if she couldn`t quite belive what he was saying: "You call that a show?" "I know him too well to belive this was the first time he had nightmares. He probably had them all summer and he`s too arrogant to just ask for dreamless sleep."

"How do you know he had them all summer?" Hermione interjected, "How can you be so sure?"

"I know Potter." he said and a dangerous glint passed over his sallow face.

"You do not know him at all!" Hermione said, angry at his I-know-it-better-tone,"You keep blaming him for everything, just because he reminds you of James Potter. I can tell you as his best friend and his sister: He-is-not-like-James-Potter. And its awful to blame a teenager for something what an adult did."

You don`t know what you are talking about!" Snape said hotly, "Potter keeps wanting himself to be in the spotlight, he crosses borders when he wants, he is respectless and arrogant, he is _just like his father_."

"Yes." Hermione said and her face was stern as she leaned in to him and said, her eyebrows twitching dangerously, "Sometimes I think that too." Then she went out of the room, leaving Snape on his own.


	13. And so it starts

Hi!

Back from refreshing holidays and there with new chapters!

To your reviews:

Allen Pit: Yes, it will. From his nightmare you could see Harry blames himself a lot for other peoples death, nearly everyone who he saw die.

And he does blame Snape a lot for it, too.

Hermione will try and make a good start- hoping it works...

Thanks for your review! : )

Review people!

Here`s the next chapter, have fun!

When Harry woke up, he didn`t know where he was. He thought for a moment, keeping his eyes closed. Then it suddenly came to him: Snape, Hermione, the gentest. He felt his insides turn. Maybe it was a nightmare after all and he would wake up and be back in his apartment. He opened his eyes. He was in a room he didn`t know. He looked around, his worst thoughts being confirmed.

This was not a nightmare. This was reality.

Hermione was sitting on a bed quite a bit behind his on the left side of the room. Her face brightened when she saw him and she made her way to him as fast as she could, sitting down on a chair near his bed. "Harry!" she said and there was relievment in her voice, "Are you better?"

"Better?" he asked, confused, "Was I ill or something?"

She pretended to look astonished at this idea, but no look in her face gave her away.

"Hermione, what has happened?" he asked, determined. She bit her lip and didn`t say anything.

"You had a nightmare." she finally answered "It was terrible, you kept tossing and turning and- shouting things."

Harrys heart sank. A nightmare. That was just what he needed.

"How bad was it?"

She now shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

"Well, it was- quite bad, to be honest." Harry didn`t need to know more.

"Great." he said sarcastically, "Exactly what I needed. A nightmare in a nightmare." He looked around the room with growing displeasure. "Come on!" Hermione said insistingly, picking up a hairbrush from her nightstand and starting to come her mane, "It`s not really a nightmare, is it?"

He didn`t answer.

"Oh-Harry?" "Yes?"

"I think we should go and talk to him now. It`s 8 o`clock. "

"Yeah." Harry said and threw back his covers, seeing now what he had been wearing. "Slytherin colours!" he exclaimed. "This is so like him…." Hermione threw him a scared glance but went on brushing her hair. They dressed themselves, Harry respectfully going into the bathroom, and then Hermione lead he way to the kitchen. Like they had expected, Snape was there. But no only him…"Crookshanks!" Hermione exclaimed and embraced her cat so tightly that he let out an annoyed "Miaow!" It didn`t seem to bother her. "Oh, Crookshanks." she said, her cheeks glowing with happiness,when she had released him from her grip and he started prancing majestically around on her lap "It`s just great you`re here, Sweetie!" Harry now feeling very uncomfortable, decided on sitting down at the table which was already set for breakfast. There were bread, jam, honey, cheese, meat, milk, orange juice, porridge….And although he didn`t want to admit it, he felt hungry. Hermione took a seat beside him, Crookshanks now drilling his claws in her jeans and purring happily. That was the way he liked it- no doubt.

"I hope my room fit your standards, Potter." Snape said snidely.

"It did, thankyou." Harry said coolly.

Hermione looked from one to another, wishing that they wouldn`t fight again. Their shouting had kept her awake for hours last night. Snape looked tired, his face paler than usual and his black hair falling untidily around his thin face, but his eyes were on the watchout as always. Constant vigilance! it shot through Hermiones head and she smiled sadly, being remembered of Moody.

"Who brought Crookshanks here, anyway?" she asked, pouring herself coffee.

"I did." Snape answered, his black eyes meeting hers, "That`s why I asked you your protection passwords last night. I thought you would rather be upset when your cat died" his lips curled into a rather ironic smile, "of starvation."

Hermione knew he meant Crookshanks stomach. He had been well fed last year, even though she hadn`t seen him for months, but had probably missed out on any kinds of activities- and, well. Maybe there was something like weight watchers for cats.

"Thankyou very much." she said smiling, meaning it. Her anger about him last night seemed to decrease.

"You`re welcome, Granger." he responded. He faced Harry.

"Are you feeling better today?" he asked, curiously.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because you were yelling your head off last night and I was the one who had to force you these potions so you went back to sleep."

"What potions?" Harry asked, confused and then something seemed to occur to him: "Do you mean, you saw me having a nightmare?"

"Not only saw." Snape said. "What did I say?" Harry asked panickingly.

"Things." Snape answered. "What things?" Harry asked, even more panicking.

"Do you really want me to mention them now? There was rather interesting stuff about Miss Ginevra."

Harry didn't need to hear more. He slumped back in his seat, not touching anything. Snape noticed it, too.

"Eat." he said, "It`s not poisoned, although I might not be so sure if I were you."

"Thanks." Harry retorted, "I`m not hungry." Hermione who had just taken a bite of her toast, layed it down. She threw a quick glance to Snape. He didn`t look like Harry`s refusion bothered him much, but she was sure that he too would not let any oppurtinity for an argument pass. And she was right.

"I said eat." he said, in rather a dangerous tone.

"Make me." Harry gave back. They both stared at him. Hermione shook her head, trying to tell him she didn`t think it was a good idea. "I`won`t make you." Snape answered, "But you won`t get anything until lunchtime, Potter. I don`t make exceptions just because you`re "The Chosen One."

"Just eat." Hermione insisted, "It`s quite good, actually."

Harry frowned. Did she have to take part in everything?

"No, thanks." He said.

"Okay, okay." She answered, "Then make a drama.

" I`m not making a drama!" he said hotly.

"Then eat." she said, as if it was the most logical thing in the world. He gave a glance making clear he still thought it was maniac, but then took a toast himself, and took a bite. It did taste good. He wanted to lay it aside and remain in silent demonstration for the rest of the meal, but his stomach growled.

"Right, Potter." Snape commented, "Of course you`re not hungry."He ignored this and went on eating.

Crookshanks jumped on the table, ratherto Snape displeasure and helped himself with some ham, before, happily purring,he resettled on they had all finished, nobody spoke. Harry was the first one who took word:

"What`s going to happen now?"

"What do you mean, now?" Snape asked.

"Why have you brought Crookshanks here when we will return anyway as soon as possible?" Althought it was not his intention, he had risen his voice a bit at the last words.

"Ah, I see." Snape said softly, and Harry had another dark premonition. "You will not be returning."

"WHAT?" Harry said in shock, "What d`you mean "You`re not returning?"

"I didn`t misunderstand last nights events, did I?"

"No." Hermione answered for Harry, acting confused,although she knew what was going to come next.

Harry would kill her.

"So I`m right that you`re my son?" he said as if he was talking about the weather forcast.

"I guess so." Harry said stiffly.

"According to magical law and this muggle law I told you about yesterday night, then, you will have to stay with me until you are 18, if you don`t have my permission to do different. Granger, you can too, if you want."

"No, I wont!" Harry said angrily, "I`m 17."

"Haven`t you listened Potter? You are not 18, are you?"

"No, but"

"Harry, he`s right" Hermione said, now very uncomfortable, looking anywhere but not his eyes, "There is such a law."

Her words halled in the kitchen and suddenly Harry understood.

"And you knew about it!" he shouted. Tears swam in her eyes as she looked at him pleadingly:

"Harry- it- it`s not like you think, I just thought you wouldn`t come here if I"

"If you what?"Harry snorted, "Told me the truth for once?" She turned away from him, feeling ashamed.

"Great." Harry said, " Absoulutely wonderful." He felt angry, exploited, mistrusted. He looked up at Snape:

"For your information, go to court if you want, I-am-not-staying-in-this-house- got it?"

"Fine, then go." Snape said. Harry started at him.

"You heard right Potter- theres the door. Get out of my sight!"

Slowly, feeling that there was something wrong Harry got up and walked through the door, through the office, to the office door- but it wouldn´t open.

"It was closed." he said, annoyed, when he re-entered the dining room. "What a pity." Snape said ironically, pronouncation on each word, "Well, I supposed you`ll have to stay, then, won`t you?"

"Give-me-my-wand." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"I don`t think so." Snape plainly answered.

"Hermione!" Harry turned towards his sister, desperation on his face, "Can you lend me yours ?"

"For how long?" she asked, glad he was talking to her again.

"Just for the door." Harry said.

"And how will you get back without you wand?" Harry hadn`t thought about that.

"Ask him." He snarled in Snapes direction, whose face showed equal dislike.

"I`ll go to Ollivanders and get a new wand until I am 18 which is in 4 weeks anyway. After that you have no "authority", as you call it, over me any more."

He said, and the last sentence was clearly meant for Snape.

"Are you coming?" Harry asked, when he was already out of the door. Hermione hesitated. She caught Snapes eye for a split second. Then she turned to Harry.

"I…Harry, I do agree with you and I`m on your side, but I-I think I`d rather stay." she said, knewing he was going to murder her, "I-I don`t want to waste the chance of meeting my treal family, can`t you understand that?" His face was blank when he looked at her.

"So-so you`re staying? With _him_?" The room suddenly seemed very hot to her. She looked from one to another, both men eyeing her like hawks. She opened her mouth but no words came. She turned her head away and then said, eyes on the ground, wishing it would swallow her.

"Yes, yes I`m staying and it- it would be great- if-if you would stay, too." She closed her eyes, unable to see his reaction.

One minute passed. She was ready to hear a door slam any minute. Instead, she heard someone pull the chair next to her back, then sitting on it. She held her breath and daren`t make any hopes who it might be. Finally, she opened her eyes again and gasped with joy when she saw it was Harry.

"Don`t even think I agree." he quickly said, before she could even open her mouth, "I still think this is mental and I can`t see why you." He glared at Snape, who seemed very confident with himself, "should even care when you didn`t care all the years before."

"But you`re staying?"

And so it starts!

Remember to review! And please be nice!


	14. Flying Lesson

Hi!

Chapter 14 there now! Thanks for your reviews!

Readerforlife: Yes, thanks for giving in! And thanks, Hermione, too!

Thx for your review! : )

AllenPit: I think taking complete control is his momentarily only way of managing things in this situation, and this is not an excuse for not treating Harry fair- again. Yes- just 4 weeks to go- and Hermiones accepted the whole thing, she`s likely to give everyone a second chance. Thanks for reviewing! : )

panther73001: Yes, I did, but then I found errors and delted it again.

This is the delted and now reposted chapter. Thanks for your review! : )

Melora: Cool, thanks for the link, I`ll be checking it right now.

Thx for your review, as well! : )

embirsiphonelilathia: Yes, my grammar. I`ll be more vigilance with that in future xD. And I`ll check the dialogue.

He does need to reign his temper, that`s true. Thanks for your review! : )

snape504: Thanks so much!!

I`m uploading weekly (if I manage : ) ).

Thanks again for reviewing : ).

Hope that you all keep on reviewing!

Have fun!

She beamed at him.

"Got some sense in your head, didn`t you, Potter?" Snape sneered, "I must say I`m glad."

They glared at each other with the utmoast loathing.

"With what?" Harry snapped, "So you`ve got the chance to tyrannize me all summer?"

"It`s not what I planned to do." Snape plainly answered.

"But what are we going to do, anyway?" Harry said with a bitter laugh, "Hang around the dungeons? They`re really interesting, you never get to see enough."

Hermione slapped her forehead. Did he have to provoke Snape at every chance?

"I thought about tutoring." Snape said, ignoring Harry, "Although I agree your suggestion would be a far more suitable activity for you." Harry pressed his lips together. He wasn`t going to give Snape another oppurtinity to insult him.

"Tutoring?" Hermione asked, interested and trying to avoid a fight, "Who will tutore us?"

"You." he answered.

"We?" Harry asked, irritated. "You will each tutore each other in your weakest subjects. That's, as far as I know, Potions and unspoken spells, Potter and Flying and the Patronus Charm, Granger." he explained.

Hermione thought she was getting the idea: "Do you mean, I will teach Harry in his subjects and he will teach me in mine?"

"Exactly." Snape answered.

"And how long?" Harry threw in.

"As long as you keep us company, Potter." Snape said coldly, "Two subjects each day, I think."

There was an embarrassing pause.

"I think that`s a good idea." Hermione interjected, "I do need to get better at the Patronus charm and that way, Harry, you can improve in potions, too."

She sounded truly excited. Harry shrugged. Potions wasn`t his life. "By the way." Snape added, "I will be teaching both of you Occlumency."

"NO!" Harry shouted.

They whirled around at him, perplexed.

"Do you want to object something ro my suggestion, Potter?" Snape asked, his eyes fixed on Harry, who had risen himself from the table.

"You can make me stay here if you want, but there is no way I`m taking Occlumency again."

"And with what reason?" Snape asked.

"Last time you threw me out!" Harry exclaimed.

"Because you spied around in my private memories, Potter!" Snape bellowed. "

Yes and?" Hary retorted, "That`s what you did too, didn`t you?"

"I think you`re mixing things up." Snape said, with a warning tone in his voice, "I had to do that, you were just unable to keep your constant curiosity." "I apologized!" Harry argued, "I would have, but you didn`t leave me time for explanations. I`m a disaster at Occlumency, I`m not going through it again."

"You will." Snape said.

"What use?" Harry said furiously, "You will just humiliate me again and search through my memories and."

"I wouldn`t if you would concentrate!" Snape said clearly. "This humiliations, what you call them, are meant to make you angry so you`re determined to show you can do better. Praise is not going to help you much."

Harry didn`t know what to say against it. He sat back down. "I suppose you`d better start with your tutoring now." Snape said reservedly, while the dishes cleaned themselves in the sink and turned away. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at Snape and slowly went in their bedroom, Harry sunk himself onto his bed. "And I agreed to come here." He muttered. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again. Crookshanks, instead, purred and then jumped up onto his bed, marching over Harrys stomach and then curling up beside him, now and then licking his hand. Harry had to grin.

Hermione went off to Hagrids hut and soon was back with Harry`s firebolt.

"He`s off to the mountains soon." she told Harry, while they were walking down the steps leading to the grounds and the Quidditch pitch, "and he asked me what I was doing with your broom. "

"What did you say?" Harry asked.

"Something about Quidditch practice." she said, "asking two steps at a time, "I didn`t think he believed it though,but…" She trailed off.

They went through the grounds, the grass crunching under their feet. Soon, Harry saw the Quidditch pitch and felt excitement leap up inside him.

The 6 rings for the chasers stood there, glistening in the sunlight, the field look smooth and the smell of fresh grass wafted up.

Hermione got herself a broom from the broomshed and they both went onto the field, Hermione rather nervously, Harry feeling better than he had ever had for months. This was Quidditch, this was something he was good at, something he knew how to do.

"Right." he said to Hermione, who stood behind him, her broom lying on the ground next to her,"Say: UP!"

"Up!" she said. The broom didn`t move.

"You need to want it." Harry explained, "Like a book for example. Imagine you`re queuing for- Here I am again for example."

"Up!" Hermione repeated, defiantly this time. The broom turned over. "Better." Harry declared. "But you must try harder."

"Up!" Hermione said.

The broom turned over again. Harry thought hard. How was he going to teach her something that was so simple in his eyes?

"Hermione, imagine there are some stupid girls infront of you who want to buy this last copy. But you want it. You really want it. You would take it any time. Come on!"

"UP!" she yelled. The broom flew up into her hand.

"Hey, I`ve done it!" she cried out excitedly.

"Great!" Harry said, pleased with her and himself. "Now lets try some flying."

She stopped smiling at once. She looked anguished.

"Harry, isn`t that enough for today? I could practice getting my broom instead, that`s important too, isn`t it?"

"Forget it." Harry said and his tone didn`t allow argumentation, "You need to practice flying, that`s what`s important. We can try with two, three meters to start with, okay?" She still looked as though she would liked to have fled any second.

"Come on." Harry said reassuringly, "Flying`s fun."

"Fun?" she said as though she thought it the complete opposite.

"Well, maybe not for you, but it will be fun once you`re in the air."

"I doubt that." she said quietly when she threw a leg over her broom. She took a deep breath.

"Flying is fun!" she kept repeating, "Nothing can happen, Hermione. It`s just flying."

"GO!" Harry shouted. She pushed herself from the ground. She flew a few centimetres up, and it wasn`t that bad. But then she lost control her broom. Everything around her seemed faster and faster as she soared up into the sky, higher and higher, her white hands clambering to her broomstick…

"HELP!" she yelled, but the broomstick dragged her, pulling her further into the depths of the sky. She was going to fall off and break her bones or suffocate in the air…. She couldn`t look down, was too afraid to lose contiousness when she saw the height.

She felt sick and dizzy.

Suddendly, she heard a noise next to her and spun her head around.

It was Harry.

"Help me." she whimpered, when he drew closer on his firebolt.

He helped her climb onto his own broom, which wasn`t very easy in the air. Then he made a straight dive down.

Hermione was yelling out things in panick behind him, but he didn`t care. It was a great feeling, adrenalin rushig through his veines, the more speed, the better it was…He smoothly landed on the grass. Hermione staggered of the back of the broom and plopped down on the grass.

"5 Meters were high!" she argued when Harry couldn`t suppress a grin.

"Get up!" he ordered when she waved him away, "No weakness! You must practice, practice and practice!"

Hermione groaned. They practiced flying for one and a half hours, Hermione taking exhausted breaks inbetween. She was now flying Harry`s firebolt, which they both thought was a lot safter than the schoolbrooms.

Harry took a broom with an awful right-tick, but he didn`t mind. He was just happy to be flying again. Hermione managed to go up three metres without panicking, which was a near miracle.

She had always found excuses not to have to come to flying lessons at school and when they were allowed to drop them was the first one who did. She really needed loads of practice, but Harry felt very confident they could manage.

After they had locked the brooms back into the broom shed, they made their way to the castle again. Harry was now feeling nervous and angry- not because of his potions lessons this afternoon, but because of having to face Snape again. He grasped his broom tighter than necessary when they entered his office.

Snape merely raised his head when they entered.

"And?" he asked, "How did your lessons go?"

"Good." Hermione assured him, feeling Harry didn`t want to answer, "Harry`s really a great teacher." Harry shoved her in the side and whispered: "Shut up!"

But Snape had heard it:

"Really? Do you really mean Potter, Granger?" he said in a surprised tone like it was something totally new.

Rage lit up inside Harry, hadn`t he proved more than once that he was a good teacher? Wasn`t he the one who had taught the DA? First this git of a man actually forced him to stay in this place and now he insulted him again? Well, he wasn`t going to let this sit on him. "Surprise, isn`t it?" Harry snapped angrily and went out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Lunch was rather a silent meal, because none of them spoke. Hermione made a few attempts of an conversation about houselelves rights, but nobodys seemed keen on the topic and so she gave up. She cast side-looks to Harry who didn`t seem to take in what he was eating but rather ate mechanically and didn`t look up when he was spoken too, leave aside answer.

She understood him to well.

Being the only one with a wand at the moment, she later travelled through Hagrids fireplace again and came back with two heavy loaded suitcases floating alongside here.

"I think that should be enough." she said animated, as each of them settled itself next to the beds and they started unpacking, clothes flying in every possible and impossible direction, stacking themselves up in the wardrobes.

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Time for Reviews! Please be nice!


	15. Potions and Explosions

Hi!

Oops, I`m so sorry I didn`t upload this for more than a month now!

Just didn`t find time. But now finally I did!

I will answer the last reviews next week, right now I can just upload.

Here`s the next chapter- and remember: Nice Reviews, please!

One hour later, they were both standing in their old potions classroom. Harry felt the familiar damp and misty and unfriendly feeling surround him, Hermione looked like she was at home.

She skated around the tables, stopping to see which notes had been scribbled on them for the past years:

"Hey look! That`s Ginny`s writing! Wait, I can`t read it…" She started scraping over the top layer of dusk.

"Potions sucks!" she read aloud, grinning,"Would be better if we`d hide that one, or? And look at this one…Hey, some girl called Josy asked Eloise- Eloise Midgeon!- how she was getting on with her acne!"

"And what did she answer?" Harry said, slightly amused.

"Well, I can`t really tell." Hermione answered, disappointed, "There`s a burnt hole next to the question, so I think Eloise did have her own opinion…"

While Hermione continued reading class room quotes, Harry went to the cupboard to get a spare cauldron and a potions book.

A while later she instructed him on a totally easy potion to start with, and while he worked, continued her classroom trip, so she remembered Harry of Snape, pacing along the classroom in every potions lessons, so that they students cleary felt that they were being watched and hastily started working on their potions, before they would loose houspoints.

Hermione had also brought the bag with the things from the drugstore. Harry had the sudden urge to fling it as far from him as possible and was disgusted by its sight.

If Hermione had never bought this bag, he would never have to spend the whole summer hear, he thought,as he he sliced his cucumber furioiusly, making tiny, out of shape squares rather than slices like the book told him too.

"HARRY!" Hermione exclaimed and she rushed towards him, holding his wrist tight so he couldn`t do it anymore. "Look at the cucumber!"

He obeyed and saw that it was less a cucumber then cucumber mash. He shrugged and went on to the next step-

"This is important!" Hermione said instingly, "How will you ever get better at potions if you can`t even prepare the ingredients?"

"What do I care?" Harry said, glancing upwards, "I`m not longing to get better at this ridiculous subject."

He took newt saliver and wanted to add it to the cauldron, too, when he caught Hermiones eye.

She looked stern, turning her head to the side.

"What?" Harry asked, irritated.

"To your information, I did concentrate in your flying lesson, and what do you do in mine?"

"Concentrate?" Harry suggested, grinning. Hermione didn`t seem to think it was funny.

"I don`t think you`re really bad at potions." she said, narrowing her eyes, "I think it`s more likely you don`t want to get better."

"And if!" Harry said, throwing the cucumber mash into the boiling water, where it swam like a lump of seeweed, "I said I didn`t care." "Fine." she spat, "Teach yourself then." She turned away from him. Harry waited, but she remained in this position, head in the air. Grumpily, he worked on the next two steps of the receipe and soon he potion was a nasty brownish colour, rather than yellow, than it said in the book. He decided not to bother much.

He followed the next step and then came to a halt, unsure if it was supposed to be a joke. "Now please add two drops of tootpaste." He stared at the lines.

Toothpaste? Hermione had lend him her wand for the occasion and so he muttered:

"Accio toothpaste!" It came soaring from the bathroom and he caught it, dropping two drops inside the potion.

It boilt up, becoming hotter and hotter, until sparks seeded from it, the colour turned black and- it exploded. There was a blasting sound, so loud that for one moment, Hermione thougth her ears had gone numb.

Harry stood there frozen, when the last of the ingredients flew around the air and landed on the table, everything covered in a thick layer of ashes. He stared at the receipe:

"Burning salvae for venomonous wounds."

This hadn`t look much like burning salvae to him.

Somebody laughed loudly infront of him and he looked up to see Hermione, holding her sides, apparently in a fit of laughter. "Ha-Harry." she gasped, "You-you."

She seemed unable to finish the sentence, but laughed harder and harder. "You-you-muuust."

She giggled even more. Harry became annoyed. Couldn`t she just come to the point? He hadn`t laughed much when she panicked at a height first years probably flew.

Her sides ached and she finally stopped, walking over to him.

"What in Merlins name did I do wrong?" Harry asked, still confused. "You-you ought to read this." she said.

She was pointing at the last line where the toothpaste instruction stood. There was a small cross here, with a footnote at the bottom:

"Please add ingredient only if you have followed the last steps carefully and correctly, otherwise negative effects such as explosions or eruptions may occur."

"Umm." Harry said and unsurely glanced at Hermione, who seemed to be fighting against another urge to grin.

"Well- nice volcano, wasn`t it?" She burst into more laughter.

"May I take part in this amusing activity, Miss Granger?" A snide voice asked behind them.

They jumped, Hermione stopping to laugh abruptly and Harry`s heart sank when he saw Snape.

If he saw the disastrous result of Harry`s potion he would probably insist on teaching him and…the rest Harry didn`t even want to know. Hermione seemed to be thinking the same and said:

"I- I was trying to show Harry this potion and I probably didn`t concentrate. Well, he told me to watch out and I didn`t listen."

"Of course." Snape said mockingly.

"You should be happy we`re even doing this for you." Harry said furiously, "Instead of encouraging the only thing you can do is mock, can`t you?"

"I would watch what I say if I were you." Snape said threatingly and examined the cauldron, "Whoever of you idiots spoilt this potion, I want this cauldron to be clean this evening. As it was not Miss Granger fault- Forget it, Granger."

He cut across her as she made another attempt to speak, and looked caught,

"I know your potions, Potter will have to clean it."

"And how, if I may ask?" Harry said angrily.

"The muggle-way, Potter. I think you ought to have plenty of practice on that. If it`s not clean, Potter- I can`t assure you survival."

When he had left the room, Harry put on a stern face and in an overacted manner closed his robes around his chest and said, imitating Snapes voice: "May I take part in this amusing conversation, Granger? I`ve got no friends, you see, nothing else to do then go around and pester my students….LONGBOTTOM!"

he barked so realistically that Hermione jumped and then giggled, "You dare to spoil my precious perfect potions again, oh, wait, till I get you, I`ll torture your toad in my dungeon chamber….POTTER! You dare to breath in my classroom! You`re arrogant and insufferable- how dare you forget this ultra-important ingredient, oh, you will slowly die like the rest of the Gryffindor, oh, you will all suffer slow and painful death."

His voice became dangerously hoarse at the end.

"Stop it!" Hermione yelped, in fits of laughter, and, after a while, gasped "Harry, I didn`t know you were good at comedy!"

"I`m not good." Harry said miserably, "Only when someone drives me _mad_."

He picked up the cauldron and carried it over to the washing basin.

"Let me do that for you." she said when he attempted to clean it.

"I mean, you`re right, who cares if he gets angry, he just wants you to concentrate when you`re doing potions and you can do that without cleaning this cauldron." she said logically and with a few flickers of her wand it began washing itself in the basin.

Harry felt a bit guilty.

"Leave it to me." he said, pushing her to the side, "After all, I was an idiot in your lesson and I was the one who spoilt it."

"Don`t worry." Hermione said, smiling the sort of smile that told Harry she wasn`t yet finished with him:

"You can clean Crookshanks toilet today, Harry. I think that is far worse…"

"You`re impossible, you know that?" Harry said, but he had to laugh, too.

After he had emptied and refilled the cat-toilet, Crookshanks giving him appraising looks now and then, he went out of the dungeons, back into the common room, where he sat down on a comfortable, red sofa and stared out of the window.

When the war was over, he had wanted to move in with Ginny after their last year at Hogwarts.

He had already imagined their apartment, imagined what it was like waking up next to Ginny.

They would have had a wonderful summer together, playing Quidditch, going swimming, walking along Ottery in the warm sunshine.

Now this was all over.

He missed her, missed her so badly that he thought he saw her face when he was staring into the fire, but when he looked closer it turned out to be a piece of wood.

She was probably enjoying here summer- or maybe not, with Fred gone, she was surely still grieving, but she had people,who stood behind her, she had people who she knew cared for her and she cared for them, too.

He was stuck in this rotten dungeon just because his father-his heart sank- who was his most hated teacher, who, when he found out he had a daughter and a son, misused his authority on keeping him here for four damn weeks.

Four weeks with Snape.

His life was hell.

When he retired an hour later, not feeling hungry at all, he went back to his bedroom, taking out:

"Quidditch through the ages." to have something to distract him.

It looked like Hermione had wasted no chances in persuading him to stay here and had packed absolutely everything he owned and what would be necessary in the suitcase.

Harry thought it might have an enlargement charm on it, because a normal suitcase would have never supported the amount of things his contained.

When he had read 5 chapters, Hermione entered. "Hi." he said, without looking up.

"Where were you?" she asked, frowning,

"We waited for you for ten minutes."

"You shouldn`t." Harry said without taking hís eyes from 199 Quidditch games- an astonishing summary about the most eventful games over the centuries.

She sighed and then quietly said:

"You know you`re not really helping, are you?"

"With what?" he asked aggressively and finally shut the book, "Pretending were some sort of family?"

He shook his head, showing what he thought of her naivety, lifted himself from his bed and made his way to the door.

He nearly bumped into Snape.

"Watch where you`re going Potter!" he rebuked him and then said, "May I ask where you have been?"

"You may not." Harry answered.

He glared at him and Harry glared back.


	16. Crookshanks

Hello again!

Sorry, sorry, sorry for the long pause!

I just didn`t find the time anymore to update- and then it completely went out of my focus...

If you still remember the story (what story? =) ), then I will just update from where I last ended. Chap. 16 is on now. There´s a lot of cat, a hint about a specific person and a lot of cliffhanger at the end ;).

I hope you enjoy reading! Please review nicely!

So, to your reviews on Chapter 15:

Allen Pit: You`re right about that. He really has (or had), there are no other words for it, a right problem with Harry because he thought he was the son of his arch enemy. And true, he is the adult and should therefore be old enough to realize that his way of handling things is not going to work out. I can hint he will realize eventually- but I don`t want to give away to much. As for Hermione, she doesn`t show the same resistance as Harry does and can´t empathise with him fully, so on one hand she knows they both have good reasons to simply hate Snape, on the others she knows that he was still on their side, saved their lives etc. So she at least tries to make a new start, whether that will work...Thanks for your review(s) and keep on reviewing!

Readerforlife: Momentarily yes : (

Thanks for your review(s)!

Stonegnome: haha xD Sorry, you`ll have to read on! But good idea =).

Thanks for reviewing!

: Thanks a lot! :)

..........................................................................................................

Snape finally pushed him aside and went into the room. "Evening, Granger." he said to Hermione, who was sitting on a chair next to a small table, Crookshanks in her arms. "Evening, Professor." she said politely. "Evening." Harry muttered disgustedly and crossed his arm infront of his chest again,

leaning against the wall.

"While you are in my house, a few rules." Snape began, "Breakfast is at 8.30, at 9 on the weekend. You can go to bed anytime you want as long as you can get up the next day. I would also appreciate if you wouldn`t listen to loud music at midnight, some people may want to sleep at that time. You will tutore each other

two subjects a day, the other two the next day. As well, I will be teaching you Occlumency every second day."

"So when do we get to rest?" Harry threw in. He knew he sounded rude and rebellious, but as a matter of fact, he didn`t care. Snape took a deep breath to calm himself down and said warningly:

"You will get to rest, as you call it, if you shut up now, otherwise…" "Yes, I`m listening." Hary said and automatically knew he had gone to far.

"Otherwise." Snape said, now walking up so close to him, that they were only a few centimetres apart, "You will find yourself in bigger trouble than you`ve ever been in, Potter."

Harry remained where he stood, glaring back. He was not going to give in. After a while of eyecontact, seeing neither of them was going to give up, Snape turned away from him and walked out of the room. "Harry, you shouldn`t have done that!" Hermione said worriedly, as soon as he had disappeared, "Can`t you both just stop provoking each other? Did you need to say that comment? Did you need to?"

"He can do what he wants as long as I play along, can`t he?" Harry said contemptibly . "

No he doesn`t." Hermione said plainly, "I only meant it would be better if you would show some consideration towards him, too. I know how he´s like, still..."

Harry didn`t answer and so they made their way to the bathroom, which stunned Harry as it had Hermione the night before.

"You`re sure this was his?" he asked, when they had re-enterd the guestroom and were now lying on their beds, talking to each other, "He never seemes to use it, doesn`t he?"

"Shut up!" Hermione hissed, "Or he might hear!"

This proved to be true, because barely a second later Snape joined them. Harry did hope he hadn`t heard it.

"Potter." he said, walking towards Harry and handing him a small glass with orange liquid, "Drink this."

"What is it?" Harry asked, although the liquid seemed vaguely familiar.

"Dreamless sleep." Snape said.

"And why?" Harry asked, but he knew why.

"Because I don`t want to get up in the middle of the night again?" Snape asked. Harry took the glass and placed it on his nightstand. "Thanks." he said quietly. Snape nodded in his direction.

"Good night " he said and went out of the room. They both continued talking and then reading for another two hours, then Hermione announced that she was going to bed. Harry, having nothing better to do at the moment, did the same. When they were nearly asleep, Hermione whispered: "Harry- it- it isn`t so bad after all, is it?" He didn`t hear her, because the dreamless sleep already wrapped him up. He only heard someone stalk over his stomach and then saw something red curl up next to him.

"Hi, Crookshanks." he said sleepily. And suddendly, he was asleep.

Hermione woke up quite early. When she opened her eyes, some daylight already shone through the windows and on her covers. Although this seemed impossible in a dungeon, Hermione was sure Snape used meteorological charms like the people in the ministry, which was located underground as well.

When you looked through the windows you could see the weather outside, even though your place might be kilometres underground.

She thought it was rather a clever charm and couldn`t suppress admiration for the person who had invented it. She lay there for a few minutes, listening to the birds chirping brightly outside the windows. She didn`t know how he had manged to get the outside sounds down here, but it did seem to work. Although she knew Harry would kill her, she couldn`t suppress some admiration for Snape, as well.

Finally, bored of staring at the ceiling she got up and went to a corner, which she protected from outside viewers and changed into her daily clothes, jeans and a T-shirt. She paced quietly through the room, careful not to wake Harry up, who lay peacefully on the side, his arms outstrechted.

While walking along the corridor she thought about where to go and decided for the kitchen. She reached it and was about to go in. "Mrrp." something made a noise next to her and she felt something fluffy rub along her ankles.

"Hey, Crookie." she greeted him.

"Mrrp." Crookshanks said, which probably meant something like: "Morning to you to."

The kitchen was empty and Hermione, who did not actually feel hungry, thought about a trip to the library, where she could spend the time until breakfast. Crookshanks thought different.

"Mrrp." he said, and it sounded like he was starving.

Hermione slapped her forehead: "Oh, Darling, I`m so stupid. Forgot to feed you, didn`t I?"

Crookshanks mrrped in agreement.

"Let`s see then." she murmured to herself and then said: "Accio Catfood."

It zoomed out of a cupboard. She was stunned for a moment.

Catfood?

This had been a joke, actually. Now actually holding it in her hand was truly confusing.

"What is Catfood doing in Snapes house, can you tell me, Crooks?" she asked and then, shrugging, said: "As long as it`s not poisoned you can eat it, can`t you?"

Crooshanks gave another agreeing sound and continued rubbing along her ankles.

"Okay, okay." she grinned, "You can`t wait, can you?"

"Mrrp." Crookshanks said.

"Accio two bowls." Hermione said. They flew out of another cupboard and she placed them next to the door, filling one with water. "Let`s see..which flavour?" she said, examining the catfood and the her face lit up: "Look Crookshaks, its tuna, you`re favourite!" "MRRP!" Crooshanks said in delightment. She bent down and shook the food in the other bowl.

Crooshanks nudged her legs, trying to get past her and a place to eat. "Wait, darling." she said, trying to get the food in the bowl and not on Crookshanks, which was a difficult task.

When the bowl was full she got up just in time, because Crookshanks raced forward and started to eat like he would never be able to do it again.

Hermione felt a bit guilty, because he really must have sort of starved over the last week, but was happy to see him take in like that.

"Mmmhh, yes, that's what you like, don't you, darling?" she said encouraging phrasese in a quiet voice like she always used to do.

"Do you always talk to your cat, Granger?" Someone asked behind her. She jumped, but then turned quite annoyed to the person there in the doorway.

"Would you mind."she said through clenched teeth, "Entering like a normal person?" "This is my kitchen." Snape said factually, "I can enter when I like."

"Well, then please don`t creep up and spy on me. I admit you`re a good spy, but it still gives me the feeling of being in this spying tv show, being watched like that."

"Isn`t that this muggle-show where people are filmed during their daily life, Granger?" he asked, his eyes on Hermione.

"Yes, it is." Hermione said disapprovingly, "But I think it`s rubbish. But how come you now?"

"My father watched it." he said resentfully and a shadow swept across his face. He turned away from her and took a cooking pan from a hook. Soon, a couple of eggs fried under his watch. "Yes, I do talk to my cat." Hermione said, trying to make conversation. "And I don`t think it`s crazy, it`s quite entertaining actually. I like cats very much."

"Rose liked cats." Snape said quietly.

"Who?" she quickly asked.

He had put on such a low voice, it had been difficult for her to figure out "liked cats." But who liked cats?

"Never you mind, Granger." he said, inhaling fresh air, like trying to restrain himself. Then he did another wave with his wand and a plate full of eggs flew towards the table and landed next to the cereals. Hermione wanted to ask, wanted to know more, now, but something held her back.

She felt like he had cast his own privat borders around him, about things he thought were to personal to tell anyone else. Now she understood a little better why he had thrown Harry out after the Occlumency lesson in Year 5. Someone had entered his privatsphere without his permission and she knew he was very irritable there. Today, there was less breakfast then yesterday, but Hermione thought it was enough for a normal day. After one hour, Harry entered as well.

"Morning." he muttered and sat down next to Hermione.

"And?" Snape asked.

"What?" Harry responded.

"The potion, Potter." he said impatiently, "Did it work or did it not?" "It worked." Harry said gruffly, "Thanks."

That was all he was going to say for the next time and so Hermione, despite her expectations, had quite an interesting conversation with Snape about the newest results on the Wolfsbane potion, trying to ignore any insults he said to her.

"So, are you working on a new version or are you making them with the old receipts?" she asked, cutting her egg.

"Both." Snape said, "When I have to make them I use the old receipts, of course. Any new version has to be tested by the ministry first before its given to a werewolf."

"And have you given Remus some new storages lately?" Hermione asked, spreading some salt over her egg chunks.

"Yes, of course, Granger." he answered, "We can`t have an out-of control werewolf running around London."

Hermione thought this sounded rather rude, but after all, she knew that Snape was bearing hatred towards Lupin.

He after all, had been a member of the gang which, lead by Sirius and James, had bullied him at school. But as far as she knew, Lupin had never bullied him or laughed when his friends did. But she knew Snape would rather give Neville potion tutoring than admitting that. "Do we have Occlumency today?" Hermione suddendly asked when they were halfway through the meal. Harry who had been shaking his head ever since she had said the words: "do we have.", slapped his forehead.

"Yes, of course you have, Granger." Snape said, "Every second day, like I said." She nodded and turned to her plate again.

"What is the point?" Harry said furiously, "staying her and doing this stuff, when you don`t actually tell us anything?" Hermione looked alarmed, her eyes darting form Snape to Harry, but she silently agreed.

"What do you want to know?" Snape said.


	17. Revelations

Back with a new chapter- so – have fun reading!

Pryde2

Thanks for telling me! In the first chapters the writing is really close together, but it gets better from Chapter 10 on. Thanks for your review!

Readerforlife

Hey, thanks for the compliment! ;) Glad you liked the chap!

Driver Jim Ohki:

Seriously, I won`t even reply this.

Allen Pit:

Thanks for your welcome! =) I`m happy to be back to !

Snape doesn`t realize momentarily what life at the Dursley really meant and because he only saw Harry being at school where he was admired, he does think he`s spoilt and not willing to try at anything. Hermiones attitude doesn`t look helpful, but she is also as mentioned before in an antagonism, as she wants a new start for all of them, but still is on Harrys side, because he is her best friend and now even her brother. Snape and Harry won`t be getting on too well for the next time, but it will get better eventually...And Occlumency will in later chapters definitely proove useful to learn something about Snape...

Thanks for your review!

...

Harry looked taken aback. This was the least he had expected, but when he already asked…

"Well, lets see." Harry said in played thoughtfulness and turned back to Snape, his eyes flashing: "Well, why did I never even know I had a sister, why did I grow up at the Dursley and not with you, why did you never tell us about this when we have been your students for 7 years and who is Rose Evans?" he said, his voice rising and going faster with every word.

He practically shouted the last sentence. Snape slumped back in his chair.

"I think you owe us an explanation." Harry added quietly.

"Fine then." Snape said, taking a sharp breath, "Fine. First: I can`t answer you why you never knew that." "But." But Snape held up a hand to silence him: "Second" he said, "I don`t know either why you grew up with the Dursleys, but it seems it just happened when something in the original plan went wrong."

He took a break. Harry and Hermione looked at each other ,confused, both the same question in their heads.

"Third." Snape carried on and although he kept his eyes in their direction Harry could tell he was not really looking at them, maybe because he didn`t want to see their reaction: "I didn`t know, as I already told you, you were my children."

"But how?" Harry said, "Oh come on, you can tell us the truth."

"It is the truth." Snape said insistingly and then turned to Harry, and although of what he said his voice was supposed to be warm and emotional, it was cold and mocking as always, "Did you really think I would have treated you like that if I had known you were my son?" "No." Harry bitterly had to admit.

"That makes it even worse!" Hermione said indignantly, "You`re only nice to your family and Slytherins, but horrible to everyone else?" "Have you ever seen me act differently, Granger?" Snape said, his voice very impatient.

"No, but you could if you wanted." she said. "I will certainly not be ordered around by an 18 year old, Granger." Snape said icely. Hermione shrunk back a bit. "Fourth:" Snape began, and then he broke off.

There was silence for a few minutes, as they watched his eyes wander around the kitchen if he would be remembering different times, and he turned his head away.

Nobody dared to speak a word.

"Rose Evans." Snape finally said and they could tell from his voice he had to gather all his strength to keep it emotionless as always: "Was the sister of Petunia, Chrysantheme and Lily Evans."

"WHAT?" Harry and Hermione both shouted out.

"My mothers sister?" Harry said, who couldn`t quite belive this fact. The name Evans was so common he hadn`t even dared thinking that possibility.

"_My _mothers sisters?" Hermione asked, too and they stared at each other. "Hey, my mothers name was Chrysantheme. Evans was her maiden name, I saw a certificate when I was searching through old documents in our attic."

"And mine was Lily Evans, well, Lily Potter. And my aunt`s name is Petunia Dursley, former Evans."

"But-that means"

"That means- Dudley is your cousin!" Harry said in astonishment at this new but true and unchangeable fact and couldn`t suppress a grin. Hermione looked shocked.

"My cousin? This bully is my cousin? And Aunt Petunia."

"Is your aunt." Harry finished, his grin becoming wider and wider at her aghast face.

His heart was leaping, he was happy how he had never been before in his life, he was related to Lily Evans, he was, she was his aunt and nobody could take that away from him…

"Then…." Hermione said, who had been thinking hard and her face brightened up at once, "It means, Lily is my aunt as well! Gosh!"

Her cheeks were glowing. Lily, like her a top student and a really nice girl, was a rare present to be related to.

"So James is at least my uncle." Harry said, sorting the new facts and then he realized what all this meant. "Professor?" he said, quickly speeding around to Snape, "Does that".

But he stopped.

Snape was gone.

His chair was deserted. "Where is he?" Harry asked Hermione, who looked as curious as he was. She turned to Harry with an understanding look on her face he hated so much when it was meant for him: "I think it was too much." she said quietly.

"What was too much?" Harry said, "Telling us something about our family? Is that already to much? Think what we`ve been through!"

"I know." she said impatiently, "But I think her death hurt him so much he had tried to forget about it. Now, it all came together…it was just too much."

"Her death?" Harry said hoarsely.

The happiness disappeared, replaced by lonely and sadness that seemed to drown him, when he realized that half of the people they had just celebrated about…were dead, truly dead and nothing would bring them back her again. Lily would never now she had a nice called Hermione, James would never now the boy who he had thought was his son wasn`t his son…or had he known from the start?

Couldn`t he in fact have known Harry had been Snapes son? Why would he still have taken him, then?

Lost in thoughts, Harry didn`t realize Hermione put an arm around him.

"This is great, isn`t it?" she said, and Harry could tell she was talking to herself as well as him "I mean, I thought my parents lied to me because they didn`t trust me, but, maybe they had others reasons, had to protect their sister or something and even though they aren`t my parents, they`re still my relatives! I think that is worth a lot, don`t you agree?"

"Yeah." Harry answered, "I think so too."

They started cleaning up the table, not knowing which feeling to give in: The happiness or the dread that occurred along with the last glass had dried itself up and with a wave of Hermiones wand joined the others in the cupboard, she said: "Let`s first better not talk about it."

"And why?" Harry asked, placing the already dried cutlery in its drawer. "Because I don`t think it`s the right thing to do at the moment." she said, shaking her head,

"It doesn`t feel right. We ought to show some consideration towards him."

"You and your consideration." Harry said annoyed, "Tell me, when does he _ever_ show consideration towards us?"

"Someone always has to make first step." Hermione said stubbornly. Harry rolled his eyes and then said, giving in: "Allright, allright. I`ll shut up about it infront of Snape for the next days, but no longer." "Thanks." Hermione said beaming. Crookshanks meowed.

Hermione stood in Snapes office, her wand tight in her hand. "Remember." Harry was saying, "Always think of something happy, for example the day you got Crookshanks. Think about how you saw him, how thought: "This is my cat."

"He landed on Ron`s- was it Ron`s head?" Hermione said, lost in thoughts, "And he chased after Scabbers!"

The whole scene became oddly realistic to her.

She had liked Crookshanks the moment she had seen him, even though he was a bit mangy and not very pretty.

"That´s exactly what I mean." Harry said encouragingly,"Think

about this feeling, let it fill up your insides…"

There was a knock on the door.

Hermione looked confused. "Enter." Harry said unfriendly, because he knew there could be only one person there.

Snape stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Then he walked up to Harry, who was startled. What did he do wrong now?

Your wand, Potter." Snape stretched out his hand, something long and black in his fist. Harry stared at it- and then at Snape.

"But I thought you"

"Just for the occasion." Snape said snidely. Harry controlled the fury which had exploded inside him at these words and took it before Snape could decide differently. He turned to Hermione: "So- do you think you got it?"

She looked startled as well. "Got what? Oh yeah, yes I think I feel it.", she quickly remembered. "It must be inside inside you." Hermione closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply, opened them again and then said:"Yes, yes I got it."

"Ready?" Harry asked.

She nodded.

"Okay- one, two, three-"

Suddenly, he broke off. Hermione, who had just gotten ready to cast the charm looked at him confusedly: "What`s the matter?" But Harry totally ignored her and instead glared at Snape who had taken place on the sofa in the back of the room.

"What are you doing here?" he said sharply. Snape didn`t seem the slightest bit impressed: "Seeing how you get on. I can`t come back and find my office blown apart." "I can assure you nothing of the sort will happen." Harry said dangerously.

"How reassuring." Snape responded mockingly, but didn`t move.

"Could you please." Harry had effort trying to keep his voice down, "Leave us alone for the practice." Snape looked even more unbothered: "Let`s first see how you get on." he said.

"Hello?" Harry couldn`t belive he had heard right. "I have teached the DA two years ago and you try to tell me I will blow your office apart if I cast the Patronus Charm?"

"Just get on with your tutoring, Potter." Snape said annoyed.

Harry spun away from him and turned to Hermione instead: "Please ignore the man in the corner, Miss Granger, he will not bother us." he said in his most threatening voice." Harry threw Snape a last glance, before completely going back on with the Patronus Charm. "Please fill your body again with this emotion.", he said in a calming voice. Hermione closed her eyes again, gaining the happiness, the excitement she had felt when she had bought Crookshanks. She gathered all this up until she was completely satisfied and then opened her eyes and nodded to Harry.

"Okay.", he started, "One, two, three-"

"Expecto Patronum!" Hermione yelled.

Silver fog burst from her wand. It spun around her, she twirled around to follow it, but nothing emerged from it. She watched it dissolve looking disappointed with herself.

"Try again." Harry dragged her, "it obviously wasn`t happy enough. What was your most happiest moment in your life?"

Hermione didn`t need to think long. Her eyes had a dreamy expression: "The day I got together with Ron."

"That`s good, that`s really good." Harry said, "Now, can you let it fill up your body again? Can you imagine the scene, can you feel it, when he asked you if you wanted to go out with him?" Hermione closed her eyes and her lips curved up into a smile.

Harry waited.

"Hermione!" he finally exclaimed, "Just think about it- not dream about it."

"Oh-what?" she asked confusedly-Harry rolled his eyes- and then seemed to get back again, "Oh, yeah- Patronus charm...".

"Have you got it?" Harry asked.

"What?"

"The feeling." Harry repeated patiently.

"Oh-wait…yes I do." she answered.

She had so been lost in thoughts, had so felt the excitement from over a year ago again, that she had found it difficult to return back in the present- into an cold dungeon where she had to practice the only charm she ever failed to do.

"Ok, then lets go." Harry said, "One-two-three!


	18. Patronuses and a Poltergeist

Okay, finally back with a new chapter:

"Patronuses and a Poltergeist"

First: Reviews!

Hey, thanks for your many comments! Please keep on reading! =)

J. A Jasper:

I do my best with the spelling, but I can´t guarantee it to be perfect.

In fact, the Gene Test uses blood, so what is the problem?

By the way, I hope to do lots of writing in my future, thank you.

Allen Pit:

The two of them finally sitting down and talking about things is not going to happen too soon,

but in (near) future. They really do need to talk about loads.

Thanks for your comment!

"Expecto Patronum!" she shouted again.

She had barely said the words, when fog spun from her wand, more this time and a bit more solid- if you could expect that from fog. She tried to make out the shape of her Patronus, an otter, but there wasn`t any.

Looking even more disappointed, she watched Harrys expression as the fog dissolved again. He looked at her and she could see from his face that he suppressed a suprised grin.

"Well-" he said uncomfortably, "I think you need loads more practice."

"Why did I just think that as well?" she said miserably.

"Come on." Harry said, "Just because you don`t get one spell right doesn`t mean everything- especially for you."

She felt the heat rise in her face and said defendingly: "But you`re the genius at DATDA, not me."

"Luckily." Harry said, clutching his hand to his chest, "That`s one subject less for you to drag to the library and tell me off for not having done my homework."

She shoved him in the side, but had to grin. But it was soon wiped off her face when try after try her fog didn`t seem to change much- except for one time, she thought she might have caught the glimpse of an otter- or it had just been pure imagination.

Jealousy overcame her as Harrys stag probably for encouragement joined her idea of a Patronus, and she was blinded by its beauty, by its perfection hers would never have- if she didn`t get a move on.

She practiced more doggedly, steadily rising unhappiness with each failed spell heating up the eagerness to get the next one right. Harry tried to be helpful, by telling her over and over again to concentrate on her emotion, but at some point, she didn`t listen any more, nor did she think of any emotion. She just wanted to get the spell right.

"Expecto Patronum!" she yelled for the 20th time.

Fog burst out of her wand, whirled around her, seeming to form- but then, it disappeared, like its fellows, leaving her to let out a heavy sigh.

It was not that she started the 30th spell that Harry stopped her.

"Hermione-"

"Wait, Harry. This one has to work!"

"Listen-"

"No- wait, I`ll do this one. It has get right!"

"HERMIONE!" he thundered, drowning her voice, "Stop!"

"Why?" she said, perplexed.

"Because you`re not making any efforts, but just doing the same thing over and over again. Just try it again…on….Thursday, okay?"

"You`re joking!" she said shocked.

"I`m not." Harry said earnestly, "You don`t want to know how long it took me to get the Patronus Charm right, don`t you?"

She looked very unconfirmed at this.

"But listen- I have to get it right-"

"You will, trust me." Harry said comfortingly and amused at the horror this single failure struck in her face, "You just need to practice."

He sped around to the sofa, tempted to prove he had been right :

"So did I blow up your office or not?"

But he stopped, as Snape wasn´t there anymore.

"Where is he?" Harry asked perplexed, looking at Hermione.

"He left ten minutes after you started." she said and he could tell from her voice that he was supposed to take that as an honour, "Did seem to think you were doing a good job teaching me."

She beamed at him.

"Good for him." Harry answered, merely raising an eyebrow.

Hermione looked as though she was going to say something, but then closed her mouth again.

When they entered the kitchen at 2 o`clock, no one was there yet. But a plate full of beef, vegetables and potatoes steamed on the table. They stood a little unsurely infront of their chairs, thinking that it maybe was too early and thinking about going back, but in the end, they sat down and Harry started loading their plates with food.

"I don`t think we should start yet." Hermione said worriedly.

Harry, who had just picked up his fork, dropped it again and then said: "And when? I`m hungry, you know?"

"You won`t die." she said mercilessly, "Let`s wait another ten minutes, he should be there then."

Harry groaned, but didn`t subject anything and so they sat waiting in silence. But as the 10 minutes strechted into 15 and then into 20, Hermione noticed her own stomach growling impatiently. Harry had long ago started eating.

"I still don`t think it`s a good idea." she said as she began to cut her beef, and shot another glance to the door.

"`Ermione." Harry said through a mouth full of potatoes, "Jus´ eat an stop worrin."

She threw him a slightly disgusted glance: "Do you know who you remind me off?"

"`o?" Harry said.

"Of Ron." she answered, the disapproval unoverhearable in her voice.

This one not so ideal fact about her boyfriend still worked on her like a red sheet on a bull. Harry threw her a glance and then snorted in his plate. She looked even more disgusted, although the edges of her mouth twitched suspiciously. After a while, even she understood there was no point in waiting anymore but started to eat with appetite.

"I`m looking forward to unspoken spells lesson this afternoon." she said animatedly, loading her plate with more vegetables.

"I`m _not_." Harry said assertively, "I`ve had enough of these in 6th year- you know? It was the first lesson with Snape and he made us practice them- it was so awful."

"I thought it was good fun." Hermione declined it, shrugging. Harry looked at her: "Hermione, for people with an intelligence under 600 like me!"

"Hey-was that supposed to be an insult?" she snapped.

"Of course not." Harry said, back treating at once, but rolling his eyes at her overreaction: "It`s just that I`m really bad at them."

"That`s why we practice." she said mollified.

"You`re probably right." Harry answered, sighing.

At that moment, they heard the door close behind them and saw Snape striding towards the kitchen table and sitting down on the chair next to Harry, who slid as far left on his chair as possible. He now regretted having not directly seated himself next to Hermione.

Snape had by now also noticed where he had actually sat down and tried not to look in Harry`s direction. Harry did the same, although he couldn`t though resist himself in now and then glancing at him.

"We waited for you." Hermione said to Snape and Harry could have hit her for this unoverhearable guilt in her voice, "But when you didn`t come, we started without you."

"That`s fine, Granger." Snape said curtly.

Harry shot Hermione a "See?" look, but she didn`t notice it because she was staring at Snape, obviously trying to see if he was all right. He caught her look, frowning. She blushed and lowered her gaze.

Harry was determined to talk about it what they had come to know this morning, was determined to know more about Lily and Rose and why Aunt Petunia had never talked about her other sisters, but Snape didn`t even mention the topic. They ate in total silence, casually interrupted by the clatter of the cutlery. If this was supposed to be family life, Harry thought, then damn it.

There was nothing of the friendliness that ruled in Ron`s home, no "How was you day?", not to mention: "Can I help you with anything?" Coldness and hatred were the only things Harry felt when he was forced to talk to Snape.

After he had finished, Snape got up and swept out of the room without another word. "Never heard of something like greeting, has he?" Harry snarled, "And the whole work is left to us, as usually." He banged a certain amount of plates near the basin, then remembered he now had his wand.

"Listen- how long do you think he`ll let me keep it?" he asked Hermione ( the plates were already washing in the basin).

She shrugged:" I don`t know. Just ask."

"Yeah, right." Harry said sarcastically, "Ask."

They left the room- Hermione sped off to the library at once- and Harry made his way to the Quidditchpitch. Harry wondered what she actually wanted to do there- there was no school- but he knew Hermione would always have a reason to go to the library.

"Oh, Potty! Having trouble again?" someone jeered, just when he had reached the Entrance Hall. Harry looked up and groaned- it was Peeves. The little man, more solid than a ghost and still not solid enough to be a human, danced up in the air in front of him, smirking.

"Sure." Harry said, "Don`t know what else to do, you know?"

"Oooo, Potty doesn`t know- what a shame, what a shame." he said in played dread. "Ooo, but I would like to know on what`s going on in Potty`s mind- what`s he doing at school, at this time? Has he crept in secretly, so no-one could hear? Is he in trouble again?"

"Sorry to disappoint you." Harry said coolly, "But obviously I`m not. And leave that up to me why I`m here- just let me through."

He knew at once he had said the wrong thing, because Peeves, overjoyed, swooshed around him, blocking his way: "Is Potter getting moody?" he asked and smirked even wider, "Is Peevsy asking to much for Potty to answer? Well, I will certainly need to inform the castle then!" And with that, he opened his mouth wide and began to yell:

"Intruder! Intruder in the castle!"

"Stop it!" Harry hissed, "Just- come on, Peeves, I want to go!"

His slight panic seemed to encourage Peeves more and more:

"INTRUDER!" he yelled at the top of his voice, so if the castle had been full of students, they would have by now been trampling out of their classrooms and Harry was again glad that the castle was as good as empty, "INTRUDER IN THE CASTLE! STOP HIM BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!"

"Stop!" Harry snapped and tried to push past him, "Let-"

"PEEVES!" A voice bellowed behind them and Harry`s heart sank when he saw it was Snape, who was striding across the hall towards them, "What`s all this noise about?" He looked furious.

"Headmaster." Peeves bowed low and then pointed at Harry, still jeering, "I caught this one while he was on his way to the grounds. Typical intruder, probably entered the castle while you weren`t looking. He denies it, but I know what Potty`s planning."

Harry would have loved to retort: "And what am I planning?" but instead he looked at Snape, trying to see any reaction on his emotionless face.

-cliffhanger-


	19. Hate vs Hope

Hi everyone!

So, here's the newest chapter.

Thankyou for your reviews!

I'm really sorry, but I can't answer them today.

I will answer them next week.

Enjoy!

...

"Peeves." Snape said and he seized Harry`s upper arm and dragged him a few steps backwards to where he stood: "I know Potter is here. He is here on my order, as is another girl who is also somewhere in the castle. You leave them alone, have I made myself clear?"

"What?" Harry mouthed and stared at him in utter astonishment. No comment, nothing, only: "Leave them alone?"

Peeves scowled. He had expected Snape to punish Harry, but now it looked like the last fun in the summer- pestering students- had gone.

"If you wish headmaster." Peeves said, bowing low once more and then disappearing out of sight. Harry could have sworn he had his fingers crossed behind his back and this was confirmed, because when Snape wasn`t looking, Peeves stuck his tongue out at Harry.

It was odd to feel someone else's hand on your shoulder, strange to hear someone else's breath so closely next to you. Harry couldn`t say how glad he was when Snape released him from his grip.

"Thanks." he said.

"No problem." Snape answered.

They were staring in opposite directions.

"Well." Snape finally said after some uncomfortable silence, "You are going – where?"

"Flying." Harry said monotonously, determinedly staring at the door, anywhere, but in his direction.

"I see." Snape answered.

Another pause.

Harry wondered where Snape was going with this talk anyway, was it another one of his games? But even Snape wouldn't do that now- not after he had sort of saved Harry from Peeves?

"Don't take too long." he heard Snape say, and then steps dying away.

He turned around, staring after Snapes disappearing figure, feeling his fingers tighten around his broom, anger and confusion rising in him again. One second he was-well, _helping_ him and the other telling him what to do again?

With the certain feeling that he would never really understand Snapes actions and their meaning, he descended down the steps to the ground, trying to clear his mind from anything but flying.

Two hours later he went back to his room and dropped himself onto his bed, sighing.

This was the second day in four weeks he was here and it already felt like a century.

He stared at the walls surrounding him. There was no point in him being here anyway. First, he had thought that the reason Snape wanted them to stay was because he wanted to apologize and explain matters.

He snorted. As if. The only times Snape had ever talked to them had been about useless stuff-who cared if he got better in potions, anyway- and it now occurred to Harry that except the one time he had manged to tell them their aunt was Lily Evans Snape hadn`t explained anything.

His father. Still, even though it was fact, he felt an urge of sickness when he thought about it.

Severus Snape, one of the men he most hated, couldn`t be his father!

Snape, who wouldn`t have even adopted him if he would have ever had to. The whole thing sounded like a sad excuse for a soap , Harry thought bitterly as he paced up and down the room, at least in soaps the real parents break out in tears and nearly glut their real children in apologies.

Snape had just told them they had to stay here.

Harry wanted to scream at him, wanted to yell at him to care, to care for once, to care that his only living son was Harry even though he was probably denying it right at the moment, wanted to yell at him to act like a father, wanted him to be something that Sirius had been for him.

But what did he care anyway? He didn`t want him as his father, so he should be glad Snape that obviously thought similarly. No, there was no way he would be wasting another thought on it.

Restraining himself, he got up after a while and went out of the room.

If only his eyes wouldn`t burn.

In the corridor he nearly collided with Hermione, who had been- as Harry had suspected- in the library.

She looked very cheerful, her cheeks glowing red.

"Oh, Harry" she said brightly, "You won`t guess what I`ve just been reading."

"But I`ll bet you`ll tell me in a moment." Harry concluded.

"Oh, haha." she answered and then got serious again: "A book about unspoken spells, there."

And she banged the tome in front of Harry, who groaned at the sight of it. This would be a lesson Hermione style, he was sure.

"Tell me." he asked, as they walked along the hallway and went into the livingroom Snape had allowed them to use, "Why do you bother with the stuff before we haven`t even started?"

She made an impatient noise.

"Because Preparation is also important. The better you are prepared, the smoother everything will work. You should prepare yourself for our Quidditch lessons, too."

"There is no need for preparation. The only thing you have to do is keep yourself on the broomstick." Harry said, with the hint of a smirk.

Hermione looked up and suddenly Harry felt his wand zoom out of his hand again.

She caught it and now she was grinning. "It`s definitely time you learn them, Harry." she observed.

And it was.

They started with something Hermione called "Beginner practice.", which contained them practicing a spell she showed Harry first and he then had to imitate. First came unspoken disarming charms.

Not a single one of them Harry tried on Hermione worked, no matter how hard he tried.

He pressed his lips together to avoid mouthing the charm, because he knew Hermione had eagle ears.

"Expelliarmus!" he thought.

Nothing.

What soon drove him into madness, drove Hermione into new worlds of explanation.

"The most important thing is." she kept saying, "Concentrate. The same with the happy memories in the patronus charm. You need to concentrate on the spell, Harry, if you don`t, it won`t work, either."

Harry concentrated so hard for a moment, he didn`t take in anything around him but the one spell:

"Expelliarmus!"

Hermione's wand didn`t even jerk. She saw his disappointment and said: "Next try, go one."

But try after try turned out into nothing.

Hermione's spells were perfect and precice and always worked. She was soon accoing Harrys wand, too and seemed to do it blindfolded.

He concentrated harder, sweat already forming on his forehead. His lips pressed together, his eyes fixed on her wand, he was repeating the same thing in his head again and again.

"Expelliarmus!" he thought. Again, nothing happened.

"Don`t worry." Hermione said seeing Harry slowly but surely getting frustrated, "I didn`t think it would work at once, anyway."

It didn`t work over the next few tries, as well, and Harry was glad when Hermione broke up the lesson after an hour.

"We need to rest for the Occlumency practice." she said sensibly.

He had totally forgotten about it and sighed.

"Come on." she said encouragingly, "It can`t be that bad."

"It can." Harry said darkly, "When someone searches through your worst memories the whole time you bet it can."

"But the sooner you start at least trying to concentrate, the better it will be." she answered prudently leaving Harry with not knowing what to respond.

Dinner came to soon for his taste. After playing a game of Exploding snap with Hermione (and beating her), she raced off to the library again.

He walked around the castle for a bit, pausing at every room to stomach new memories coming alongside with every step he made- walking to classes, duelling Draco, having Hermione and Ron fighting...

he found himself missing those unbothered, careless moments when they didn`t have anything to worry about, and compared it with what it was like now.

Now, after having escaped Voldemort so many times, after so many duels, Voldemort was dead.

Again, memories of already dead people appeared in front of his eyes.

He felt sick and sank down the next wall onto the cold stone floor.

He hated his life.

In the evening he made his way back to the dungeon. Although it was early, Snape and Hermione were already in the kitchen.

He saw her grinning at something he said and then saying, still unable to suppress a grin: "Well...I had to break into your office. It was my fault, not Harry`s, and we needed the ingredients for our Polyjuice Potion."

"Which you brew without admission in the girls toilets , even though you knew you were breaking over fifty schoolrules?" he heard Snapes voice ask sarcastically.

There was a pause for a moment, in which Hermione pretended to be thinking hard.

"That about hit`s the mark, yeah." she finally answered, her grin becoming even wider.

"Oh, hi Harry." she suddenly said, seeing him standing in the doorway.

"Hi." he said mechanically.

He felt like something had hit him in the face and didn`t know what he thought was worse:

Hermione enjoying herself talking to Snape or Snape being something near _friendly_ to her.

At least Harry had never seen him talk to him like that before.

His thoughts were confirmed when Snape turned to him to, coldly greeting him:"Potter."

There was no sign of pleasure in his eyes, which rested on him for a second longer than necessary.

Hermione saw Harry's petrified face, ducked a bit back in her chair and chewed her lip as trying to make an excuse for Snape's tone.

Then she shrugged in Harry`s direction.

He lifted his shoulders, trying to stabilize himself despite of the disappointment he felt.

Then, hoping Snape hadn`t seen this tiny loss of self control, he sat down next to Hermione.

He simply ate and didn`t take in anything the other two were talking about.

Hermione seemed strangely talkative today, there was this cheerful beaming in her eyes he couldn`t explain. The better, he thought dully, then she`s fine and hopefully leaves me alone.

"Potter!"

A voice ripped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" he asked.

They were both looking at him- had he missed out something?

"You know you have got Occlumency practice today?"

"Yeah." Harry said, and then under his breath added: "Alas!"

If Snape had heard him, he didn`t show it, but pointed his wand at Hermione.

"Granger?"

"Yes?" she said, slightly alarmed and quickly drew her own wand.

"Leglimens!" he said, and Harry saw the shock in Hermione's eyes before the spell hit her.


	20. Occlumency

Hi!

Yes, I took three weeks- sorry - but finally found the time to upload.

As promised, I will answer the reviews both from Chapter 18 and 19:

Chapter 18:

Allen Pitt: Hell, he is! ;)

Right, Hermione isn't in the room- which is pretty bad...

Thanks for your review!

Alex: In one way you're right, Harry also thinks (see Chap 18) that he is in one of these dramatic soap operas.

But I also suspect you didn't really get the hang of categories:

Mine don't say humor, do they?

B. Oots : Thank you very much and I hope you do so in future! Thx for your review!

Chapter 19:

Allen Pitt: Snape does think it's just arrogance, and he's momentarily not really ready to give Harry a chance either. Harry would in fact not be that bad in potions if they had had a different teacher, but it still isn't a subject he likes very much.

And, you're right again, the "( not ) giving it a chance" thing is forming a rift between Harry and Hermione-

a rift that will show in the next, not yet in this chapter...

Thanks for your review! ;)

Harry had risen from his chair so quickly he'd nearly knocked his glass over.

"Are you mental!" he shouted at Snape, "You didn`t even warn her!"

He had barely spoken the words, when Hermione made a very violent jerk and yelled out a definite: "NO!"

She thrust her head to the side even more violently as if trying to shake off something. She made a helpless gasp and all at once didn`t move anymore. Then, coming to life again, she was breathing in heavily while staring at the floor beneath her.

Harry stared at her open mouthed.

Had it taken so little time for her to get self control again? He couldn`t believe it. She had not been warned, she had never experienced the spell before unlike him...and still she was -loads better.

This second, Hermione lifted her face again, looking miserable."Why did you do that?" she asked, her voice slightly angry and confused.

"I had to." Snape said, "I wanted to know how good you are at Occlumency."

"You could have warned her." Harry said irritated.

"Don`t you think I had a reason for not warning her?" Snape replied, his tone sounding like he thought Harry was stupid.

Harry scowled at him.

"And you were better than I expected you to be." Snape said thoughtfully, turning back to Hermione. She went slightly red. He paused for a moment and then said: " I will be teaching you separately."

"And when?" Harry asked unnerved. "Well, I could start right this moment"- Harry`s hand reached for his wand quickly, but then he saw Snape who seemed satisfied with the panic he had caused and angrily stowed it away again."But I think it`s better to start later. In 10 minutes, my office, Potter. Granger, you're afterwards."

And he swept out of the room. Harry buried his head in his hands. Hermione awkwardly patted his back.

The office looked as dark and unwelcoming as always. The creatures in the glass jars seemed more revolting than usually and Harry had the urge to walk out and slam the door behind him the second he had entered.

He had had experienced so much humiliation in this room. His hatred against Snape grew stronger every second.

"Finally." A sneering voice said and Harry saw Snape standing at the other side of the room, "I thought you had gotten lost."

"You said 10 minutes." Harry defended himself.

"It`s been about 20 minutes now." Snape noticed dryly. "Do you think I care?" Harry said, his voice rising until he was nearly shouting, "Do you think I care if I come on time or if I don`t?"

"Potter." Snape said and Harry saw he had trouble keeping his voice down, "Close that door behind you."

Harry obeyed and when his fingers pulled the handle towards him he felt again as if he was locking himself in.

He turned back to Snape and drew out his wand. Snape's did the same and they stood, ready to attack. Snapes eyes rested on him as he said:"You know what I`m going to do? So you don`t panic or anything."

"Don`t worry, I won`t." Harry said through gritted teeth.

"Good." Snape said blankly, "Then- on four. One, two, three-Legilimens!"

_He was four and his aunt was yelling at him that he was a freak and pushing him into the cupboard under the stairs- he was nine and he was bullied by Dudley`s gang- he was eleven and was fighting against the troll in the girls toilets- he was twelve and Ginny was lying, unconscious, in the Chamber of Secrets- about to die..._

"NO!" he shouted, when he saw her body: "NO! Not Ginny!"

Suddenly, like a lightening flash, the memories vanished and he was back into the present again: He opened his eyes and saw he was half sitting, half lying with his back against the wall. He wanted to get up when another hand closed around his and pulled him upwards.

"Thanks." he said quietly when he was facing Snape again who let go off his hand as quickly as though he had burned himself.

It now occurred to him that Snape had seen what he had seen- probably he was on the inside laughing at Harry being pushed and mobbed by Dudley and his friends, or by his aunt...

"Potter." Snape said and Harry was pulled into the present yet again and saw he Snape was looking serious: "You need to concentrate."

"I do!" Harry said indignantly.

"No you don´t." Snape said icily, "And I think I can judge that better."

Harry wanted to reply, anything, but didn`t get the chance.

"So-one,two,three" Harry tried to get ready, to clear his head off all emotions- "Legilimens!"

_Gigantic spiders were circling him and Ron in the Forbidden Forest- he was yelling at Snape in the howling hut-Voldemort was horribly being reborn in the graveyard-Cedric was flying through the air hit by the Avada Kedavra – _

"NO!" Harry yelled, and his voice was thick with suppressed tears, "STOP IT!"

He felt sharp pain sear his body as he knocked against something and then fell until his face hit cold stone floor.

A few seconds passed, before a voice, not his own, spoke.

"Get up." Snape said angrily, and Harry had a déja-vu of his fifth year when the same thing had happened, "Potter-get control over yourself! Is that task so difficult for "The Chosen One" ?"

Every inch of his voice dripped with sarcasm. Harry lifted himself from the floor and noticed that he obviously must have knocked against Snapes desk and afterwards fallen down.

Snape really looked furious, but it was no where near to what Harry felt.

"If you haven`t noticed." he said in a warningly quiet voice:" I never volunteered to be the Chosen One. I never volunteered to fight Voldemort-"

"Don`t say his name!" Snape snapped.

"I`ll say his name whenever I want!" Harry said loudly, "I`m 17 now, am I not?"

"You are." Snape answered, "But as long as you`re in my house you are not using that name, have you understood me?"

"Well- can I go then?" Harry asked, in a pretended friendly voice: "I mean, you don`t want me anyway, do you?"

He had made a step towards the door, when someone spun him around on his shoulders.

"You`re staying here." Snape said threateningly.

"And who says that?" Harry asked provokingly.

"I do." Snape answered.

They stared at each other, both determined not to let the other one win.

Harry`s eyes watered as he continued staring into the other pair of eyes opposite him, but he wasn`t the one to look away.

"Come on." Snape finally said, letting go off his shoulders and going back to his side of the room. Harry noticed his voice didn`t sound angry anymore, but rather annoyed, maybe even like he was giving in.

"One-two-three-Legilimens!"

_The giant Basilisk was chasing him in the Chamber of Secrets-He was nearly drowning, the locket closing around his neck-T__he dementor was attacking him in the train compartment- Ginny was approaching him at the Burrow-_

"No!" he thought, "You will not see that!" But the strength he had had when the same memory had approached with Cho in fifth year seemed to have disappeared-and he was forced to watch, as the memory drew closer- _Ginny`s face, her eyes, her hair was so near, her lips already touching his own-_

"No!" he moaned, "No- not that!" He felt like he was drowning in humiliation when he watched them start kissing, he was grasping her back and her arms were wrapping around him- and while watching he started twitching and jerking more violently, shouting out things as well-

"Stop!" he shouted, "STOP!" And then, like being pulled out of a deep hole in gigantic speed, he was back again- and Ginny was at the Burrow, safe, whereas he was...

He tried not to look at Snape, when he restrained himself again.

He was still shaking- he had never lost control like that before.

"What did I tell you, Potter?" A voice snarled, "And what are you doing? The complete opposite as always!"

Harry tried to ignore him, as he stared at the floor.

"You`re selfish and arrogant, you never at least try, you're weak-" "I`m not weak!" Harry snapped.

"Then tell me why you can`t keep me out when I`m using Occlumency!" Snape said harshly.

"Stop shouting at me, what have I done to you?" Harry asked in desperation.

"I`m wasting my time here, trying to teach you and instead of being thankful or at least trying to make an effort you don`t do anything at all! You enjoy being in the spotlight, Potter, but here are no people to famish you and-"

"I don't enjoy being in the spotlight!" Harry bellowed.

"So then why don`t you give your Occlumency at least one try, Potter? I`m not so determined to see this scene of you and Miss Weasley again."

Harry went scarlet, but not just out of humiliation,"You enjoyed that, didn`t you?"

He didn`t sound like himself when he said that, but rather mean: "You enjoyed seeing me trying to kick you out and not being able to, didn`t you?"

"Stop talking nonsense." Snape said quietly but determinedly.

There was more silence as Harry tried to figure out what wóuld come next, when Snape finally started to speak.

"I think there's no point in doing any more Occlumency tonight, when you`re so worked up."

He paused and then added:" You may go."

"Fine!" Harry said irritably, "_Fine_!"

He slammed the door after he had rushed out and half-walking, half- running made it to their bedroom, locking the door behind himself. He wanted to be alone now.

He heard more footsteps in the hall and then they stopped in front of his room.

The handle moved, but the person outside obviously noticed the door was closed.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice said, "Are you in there?"

"Yes." he answered hoarsely.

"Um...are you all right?"

She waited, unsure if she should just unlock the door.

"Course I`m fine." he answered, a little harshly.

"Good, I`m glad." she said, although she hadn`t been mistaken that he meant the complete opposite.

"Um...Is it my turn with Occlumency now?" she asked.

Harry stared at the door, knowing Hermione wanted to keep the excitement in her voice down, but he could clearly hear it.

"Yes, it its." he said unbotheredly, "I bet he`ll be expecting you."

"And you`re sure you`re fine ?" she asked desperately. Of course he wasn`t fine, of course he was feeling terrible at the moment, but he wasn`t in the mood for long discussions with her now.

"Yeah, sure." he said unnerved, "Just_ go_, Hermione."

A pause issued. Then he heard her sigh and then heard her footsteps slowly, pausing at every few steps, walking away.


	21. Seperating

This did take long again, but to my defense I wasn't there in the last time. Chapter 21 is on! Read and review!

To your reviews for Chapter 20:

: There you go! Thanks for your review ! ;)

Allen Pit: Again, you guessed totally right. And the rift will be happening in this chapter and in the next ones following...

Thanks for your review! ;)

He hadn`t watched the time, but he knew about an hour had passed, when he heard the lock unlocking and Hermione came in. She didn`t look at him, but walked straight forward and then threw herself onto her bed.

She was beaming all the way and she continued doing so, when she lying down, glancing at the ceiling.

"And-how was it?" Harry asked.

He was shocked to see her in such a happy state, when she was supposed to be worn out and tired-like he always was after Occlumency lessons. She jumped when she heard his voice and blushed when she noticed that he had obviously watched her. She turned towards him:

"Well- it was- well-good." she said uncertainly.

"Good?" He hoped he hadn`t heard right.

"Well, yes." she said, now remembering what he had been like after his practice and comfortingly added:

"But I`m sure yours was okay, too."

"If you understand this disaster of an Occlumency lesson as ok, tell me, what did you do in yours?" Harry gave back.

Hermione twirled some hair around her finger, turning it round and round. "First he told what the whole stuff is about and then he tried Legilimens on me."

"And what did you do?" Harry asked.

"Well, I concentrated all my mental strength in getting him out of my head."

"And that worked?"

"Not the first time, no." she said, sitting up and sighing, "And not the second time, either."

He already had a dark foreboding.

"The third time it worked, didn`t it?"

"Yes, it did." she had to admit.

"And what did he say?" Harry went on asking.

She hesitated on the edge of speech, but then said:"Well- he said it was good for a know, he never makes a compliment."

She laughed.

"You`re lying." Harry said quietly.

She stared at him and narrowed her eyes: "Excuse me?"

"You heard right. Why are you so happy then if you didn`t get praise or anything?" He waited, watching her face.

"I was just enjoying myself." she said, shrugging, "I think I actually like Occlumency. He said I`m quite good at it."

The words had slipped out before she could have held them back.

"So he did pay you a compliment." Harry drawled, satisfied with himself.

She looked caught and irritated.

"Yes, but- Harry, it`s not my fault you don`t get the hang!" she said and then added irritably:"What`s wrong with you, anyway,what have I done to you?"

"Well, let`s see." Harry said thoughtfully. He looked mean, unlike himself, as he stood up, facing Hermione with an deprecating look in his eyes: " How long did you have to slime around until he praised you?"

"Me?" Hermione yelled, "Sliming around?" She looked at him, aghast, but then seeing he'd exactly meant what he'd, a crease of anger formed on her forehead.

Then, suddenly, she understood why he was acting was like that. She smiled evilly:"Could it be your jealous?"

"Me? Jealous?" Harry shouted and then hotly added: "I think that`s where your imagination goes too far."

"Then why are you blaming me?" she said angrily, "Is it my fault you two don`t get on? Is it my fault you're not good at Occlumency? Maybe if you would just control your temper, Harry, you would get on better with him Snape, too."

"Oh, just shut up." Harry snapped. He turned around, got into bed and he threw the covers over himself turning towards the wall. Hermione stared at him for a few moments, then she held her head high and walked out of the room to get Crookshanks.

He was the only normal one by far.

Harry and Hermione avoided each other during the next days not talking a single word to each other except when they had to.

And even then, they kept it as short and as formal as possible. Hermione was still angry with Harry for letting out his mood on her, but nevertheless she understood why he had done it and wished that she could do something.

Still, she didn´t see a way how to talk to him because he avoided her every time possible.

"As if it`s my fault!" she thought furiously, "As if I`d written that gene test, as if it`s my fault that Snape's our father, what can I do about it?"

There were moments, hours when she thought that, sitting in an armchair by the fireplace and staring into the fire, her eyes mirroring in the flames. Of course, Harry had the stubborn thought it was all so easy for her, but that was a complete lie. Tough Hermione Granger, she thought ironically, pulling her legs up and in old habit wrapping her arms around them as to protect herself, she gets on, no question. There is no need to worry about her, she`ll be fine.

What a lie, what a total lie...

Anyway, that was _another_ thing Harry had totally gotten wrong. Just because for one evening Snape had not been mean to her, didn`t mean he liked let alone cared for her.

He was formal to her and always kept a distance. She would have been willing for a new start, but as neither Snape nor Harry were, she would probably have to get on with both of them constantly avoiding each other.

"Mrrp!" Crookshanks pranced around the sofa, and then, ducking for enough speed, jumped on her lap.

She gasped and then stared at her cat, shaking her head.

"What is he feeding you, Crooks, hey? You better get off that cat food and on a diet, or I might seriously need to register you with the weight watchers. Hey- wait a sec! What`s that?"

And she felt his red collar. In its miniscular pouch there was a small white note. She unfolded it and read:

_Granger- Can I talk to you a second? I`m in my office._

_PS: If I see that cat on my bed again it`s dead. I'm warning you, Granger. _

_S.S._

She refolded the note, sighing. "Come on." she told Crookshanks when she lifted herself up from the sofa, and then grimaced: "We are being_ expected_."

She entered Snapes office with Crookshanks trotting behind her.

The second she closed the door behind them, Crookshanks raced forward and jumped onto Snapes desk, knocking over a pot of ink which spread rapidly over the parchment he had been writing on.

She let out a fainting gasp and then rushed to the front, yelling:

"Scourgify!"

The ink cleared up again, but the parchment still was wet.

She held her breath. Snape very, very slowly lifted his head in her direction. He looked at her for a moment and then said cooly:

"You better know a good drying charm otherwise." he threw a malicious glance at Crookshanks:" I can`t guarantee anymore for your cat`s life."

She suppressed a shudder at the icy tone of his voice as she took the parchment, pointed her wand at it and said : "Arrefacios!"

The paper dried itself up. Hermione smiled appologeticly as she handed it back to him.

"Thank you." he said, side glancing at Croookshanks who looked as innocent as possible, and then looked back at Hermione.

"So you got the letter?"

"Yes." she answered, "Good idea to send Crookshanks."

"I thought it might be." he said dryly, "For you cat is quite intelligent, nevertheless it should learn where it can go and where it can`t."

Hermione mentally rolled her eyes, but put on a very stern expression towards him:

"Don`t worry, he won`t go into your bedroom any more, will you, Crooks?" "Meow!" Crookshanks said very definitely, and Hermione didn`t now whether to take that as a good sign or not.

"The reason why I asked you to come her." Snape said as if they had been having a normal talk without threatening an innocent cat, "Is that I want to ask you something."

Hermione slid to the front on her chair, tensely. "I wanted to ask you if you would help me with the Wolfsbane potion."

"The Wolfsbane potion?" Hermione, said if she couldn`t quite believe it, staring at him hard trying to see if he was joking.

"You can stop looking so surprised Granger. You received and Outstanding in Potions in your O.. I do think it you would manage."

"But when?" Hermione asked. "Next weekend. Not this one."

"Why are you asking me?" she said perplexed.

"Think Granger." he said snidely, "Why would I ask you?" She shrugged.

"Because I`m good at Potions?"

He clapped his hands a few times. "What a _surprise_. Yes, of course."

Hermione got serious again. She wasn`t in the mood for his insults.

"But why do you need help? I thought you`d do your potions on your own?"

He leaned in closer and spoke quieter, Hermione listening even more tensely.

"I`m trying out a new version I created."

"But" she started, but he talked across her, obviously knowing what she had wanted to say:

" I need your help because this version is more difficult. And I`m not giving it to Remus before it`s been tested by the Ministry."

"Oh, good." she said relieved.

"Did you honestly think I would give Remus some unsafe potion which would maybe even poison him?" he asked mockingly.

She shrugged again. "You said, for some people..."

"Empty thread." he said, wiping it aside, "Even though I may not like Remus, I would never kill him- or at least I think so."

"And on which day?" Hermione asked.

"Saturday." Snape answered, "Saturday evening, at around elven. It has to be done at night-time. Do you think you can come?"

"Sure." Hermione said, confused but pleased that he`d asked her, "I`d be honoured to help you."

"Spare me your compliments, Granger." Snape snapped, totally being the old one again.

Hermione took a restraining breath. He`s like that, she told herself, that`s how he is and I should start getting on with it.

Still, sometimes she wished that he would be a bit friendlier towards them. But she knew that day was in such unreachable length it was nearly impossible to happen.

The Friday passed without any great interceptions.

After lunch, Hermione was sitting in the living room again, thinking about what she could do. Her morning flying lesson had been a fiasco again.

As Harry wasn`t really helping her anymore, but watching with certain satisfaction her pointless tries to go up higher then five metres without loosing control, she had not chance.

So, she didn`t help him anymore with potions, which turned out to the negative for him as well, when potion after potion failed and he was left to clean the cauldrons which were sometimes covered with mass so sticky it seemed impossible to get them clean again.

Still, she didn`t move a fingers as he hadn`t when her broomstick had flown the total opposite way in high speed with her clambering to it, white in the face and had just stopped before the castle wall.


	22. A Visit to the Weasleys

Hello! The reason why I'm updating so quickly is the following: I will be gone for a few weeks and won't have the time to upload at all.

And because I don't want to have such a gigantic break between the last chapter and this one, I decided to upload it earlier. As soon as I'm back, Chapter 23 will follow.

But now, have fun reading!

To your reviews:

LordNemesis: At the moment it does seem like that. But keep on reading! And thanks for your review! ;)

Allen Pitt: He is just waiting until he's of age- that's almost exactly what Hermione is going to say in the next chapter...

She is (as mentioned before) sick of Snape's preconceptions as well. And although momentarily she and Harry are still in an argument, she tries to fix it - although that won't work at the first attempt...

Sorry, no, Lupin is not going to come because of the potion. But he will be in any case mentioned this chapter... and later on he will appear as well. Thanks for your review! ;)

Fridays were usually her favourite days- no school on Saturday, staying up late, but today she really had no idea what to do.

Harry came into the room. He noticed she was there, but merely glanced at her. Instead, he went straight to the fireplace and took a pinch of Floo Powder.

"What are you doing there?" A stern voice asked behind him.

Harry turned around to see Snape looking up from the magazine he had been reading.

"I want to go out for a bit." Harry answered.

"You know you can`t get out here unless I remove the safety charms?" Snape asked.

"Well I do." Harry said, "But still I want to get outside. It`s not like I`m having the time of my life here."

"Watch your tone, Potter." Snape said coldly.

"Listen." Harry said, beginning to get impatient, "You can make me stay here for the summer but you can`t make me stay here every _second_. It`s my summer-holidays and to be honest this is _not_ a holiday."

A shadow passed over his face, before he went on:

"I just want to visit friends. Am I already asking to much?"

"Who do you want to visit?" Snape replied, watching him closely.

"Ron?" Harry more asked then said.

" Mr. Weasley then." Snape concluded.

"Me too." Hermione said, stepping up next to Harry, who automatically moved a few inches away.

"I`m not contagious!" she hissed.

He didn`t react.

"So can I go?" Harry asked annoyed.

"Depends on if I can trust you to come back." Snape said.

There was a few seconds pause in which he pretended to be thinking.

"Well, then not." Harry suddenly angrily said and wanted to make his way out of the living room- until Hermione yanked hold of his T-Shirt.

"What?" he asked, turning around.

His question was answered when Snape spoke:

"Did I say you couldn`t go?"

"No-but." Harry said confused but he had a certain idea what was coming now.

He side -glanced at Hermione who was smiling- then he remembered he wasn`t talking to her anymore and turned away quickly. Snape's sallow face was looking more snider than usual when he continued :

"Then why aren't you going? I bet Miss Ginevra can`t await your arrival any longer, Potter."

His voice was so full of sarcasm that it would have usually made Harry angry but now it was different. He wasn`t sure if he could believe what he had heard.

"So we can go?"

"As long as you are back for your potions tutoring, you both may go. I don`t want to have any reporters questioning me about imprisoning helpless Mr. Potter."

He stood up and made some complicated circles in the air, muttering words.

"There." he said, pointing to the fireplace.

Harry turned away, threw the Floo Powder in the fireplace and said:

"The Burrow."

He stepped into the flames and disappeared. After he was gone, Hermione took a pinch herself and was just about to throw it in the fire when Snape said:

"Granger?"

"Yes?"

She whirled around.

"Make sure he." - he made a nod in the direction Harry had disappeared- "Comes back."

She could have just answered yes, but then something, something rebellious, un-hermione-ish, spoke inside her head: "Yes, and you get to hear his complaints about Snape again? Isn`t it Snape`s fault Harry isn`t talking to you? Why do you always have to get all the dirt ? Steel yourself, Hermione."

And she didn`t know how it happened but the voice won.

"You know what?" she said quietly to Snape, "I`m not sure if I can make him come back."

He looked mildly suprised: "Well, he will."

"Yes, he will." Hermione said.

She took a heavy breath. She didn`t know where all the courage suddenly came from but it felt good:

"But he won`t because he wants to. He will because you made him. And he will always stay here for these weeks because he`s forced to, not because he likes it. And unless you are actually sorry for dumping us all those years, I can`t blame him."

She looked at him while she spoke and with every word, her voice became more solid until she stood there like a stage speaker.

"You have four weeks and then he`ll go and I know him better than you."

"Granger." Snape said threateningly, "I think you`re going to far."

"Fine ,then I am." she said rebelliously.

She glared at him:

"But unless you don`t actually tell us something about our mother, because we _have _the right to know _everything_ about her, I`m not so sure I will come back, either."

She took another breath and then whirled back around, threw the Floo Powder in the fireplace and disappeared.

The last thing she saw was his pale face.

The flames sucked her in like a pipe and she spun around, feeling dizzier and dizzier... but then she fell headlong onto a stone floor.

"Ouch!" she gasped, rubbing her forehead which was throbbing.

"HERMIONE!"

The familiar voice made her straighten herself up. She had obviously landed in the kitchen of the Burrow, because next to furniture she saw Molly's kitchen utensils everywhere.

But best of all was Ginny`s happy face.

She and Harry were standing in the door frame, Ginny was grinning.

"Hi." Hermione said breathlessly, getting up and following them into the living room.

They sat down on the sofa in the same positions that, Hermione noticed with dread, they had been sitting two weeks ago- when everything had been different. She sighed. Ginny's long red hair fell smoothly over her shoulder when she turned first to Hermione, and then to the other side, forming her hands to a megaphone and yelling:

"RON! They`re here!"

Hermione held her ears shut with both hands. Ginny laughed when she saw it:

"Well, in this house you need a loud voice."

"WHO?" They heard Ron shout back.

Hermione just in case held her hands back over her ears and Ginny yelled:

"Harry and Hermione of course!"

"Coming!" Ron yelled back.

"What kept you, anyway?" Harry asked with a sceptical expression, addressing Hermione. She frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you took quite a while." Harry said.

Ginny looked curiously from one to the other, trying to catch what they were talking about.

"Someone." Hermione said, gritting at teeth at the word, "Kept me."

Harry raised an eyebrow as if he didn`t quite believe it but Hermione stared at him so constantly until he lowered his gaze a bit.

"Who?" Ginny asked, "Kept you, I mean?"

Hermione knew Harry was tensely watching her.

She looked at Ginny, into her curious, bright face.

"Crookshanks." she answered without blushing, then quickly glanced at Harry who looked surprised but nevertheless relaxed.

"Crookshanks?" Ginny asked who didn`t seem to suspect anything: "God, these cats can keep you forever, can`t they? I know it from ours."

Hermione forced a smile on her face and wished she didn`t have to lie.

Half a minute later, Ron stumbled in the room. His face brightened when he saw his friends and he threw himself onto the sofa next to Harry, looking around at all of them. Hermione noticed he had grown a few more fearsome centimetres.

"Where have you been?" he asked, looking curious, "You haven`t shown up for a while, you know? Two weeks?"

"Umm..." Hermione said, looking at Harry, who stiffened at the question. She turned back to Ron, putting up the most authentic expression she could force:

"Well, we quite had a row about something totally stupid, we don`t even know what it was about anymore, but we were just so angry with each other that we...sort of didn`t have the spirit to visit you ."

Ron frowned and Ginny looked the same. It was clear they didn`t quite believe her. She tried to keep a convincing stare, but failed and turned away from them. Well, this wasn't the welcome she had wanted. Total silence fell, as she tried to forget Ron's stares which felt like pinpricks through her back.

"Well, anyway, it's great your here." Ginny suddenly said in a friendly tone, making conversation.

Hermione could have hugged her.

"Yeah-" Ron said, looking a bit dumbstruck, but then remembered where he was, and said: "Yes,yes of course." He beamed at them and they beamed back.

For the first time in two weeks, Hermione felt like being back in the Good-Old-Times, where they had almost nothing to fear- and nothing to worry about. Here, at the Burrow, everything was all right, it was a safe, familiar place away from all the worlds dungeons and therewith aligned problems.

"You missed out on a lot." Ron said, "Nearly everyone was there, Fleur, Bill, Lupin."

"How are they?" Harry asked.

"Fleur and Bill's fine." Ron responded.

"Yes,except that we had to listen one and a half hours nonstop to her critics of Celestina Warbeck." Ginny reminded him through gritted teeth, "You know, she is zach a terrible zinger and `er voice is so `orrifying..."

They all laughed.

"And Lupin and Tonks?" Hermione asked.

They`re all fine." Ginny updated her, " They have gotten over most of the shock, I think. Tonks' is joking again and even Lupin's a bit less worried than usual. Oh, and Teddy's _so _sweet, they brought him along once. Wait, I have got some pictures..."

After a few seconds of rummaging in the next drawer, she took a stack of photographs and showed them to Hermione.

"He has these amazing round brown eyes and these tiny fingers, see? Aww, he`s so cute."

"Aww." Hermione cooed in agreement. Harry and Ron exchanged looks and rolled their eyes.

Ginny handed him the photographs as well, smiling as she said: "After all, you`re his godfather, you should see him."

Harry's heart skipped a beat when he remembered that Lupin had appointed him, him and no one else to that post and he felt guilty that he hadn`t done anything yet for his godson. He looked at the pictures and saw the baby boy on them, lying in Tonk's arms, on the dressing table, in his bed and felt something warm and welcoming like Butterbeer warming up his body.

He was as happy as he hadn`t been for weeks, for simply the fact that Teddy Lupin was his godson and he would protect him all his life.

"Hey- let me have a go." Ron's voice said and back into present he saw the pictures had already wandered into his friend's hands.

He couldn`t resist it but feeling proud when Ron smiled as well.


End file.
